HC Deb 15 June 2000 vol 351 cc685-6W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much grant in aid his Department has provided for the implementation of water level management plans in (a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [125779]

Mr. Morley

MAFF provides grant towards the cost of approved capital works undertaken by the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards, inter alia, to implement water level management plans. The amounts of grant paid in 1999–2000 and so far in 2000–01 are £47,000 and £1,000 respectively.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many water level management plans have been adopted by the operating authority and agreed by English Nature. [125776]

Mr. Morley

There are 61 Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation with water level management plans (WLMPs) that have been fully agreed by English Nature, and a further 26 that have been agreed in principle. This means that there may need to be some modification to the plans prior to implementation.

For those SSIs that are not SPAs or SACs, there are 130 WLMPs that have been fully agreed by English Nature, and a further 31 that have been agreed in principle.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many water level management plans(a) have been completed and (b) are outstanding for (i) Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation and (ii) sites of special scientific interest; and if he will list their locations in each case. [125778]

Mr. Morley:

A Water Level Management Plan has been completed, at least in draft, for 112 sites that are designated or proposed Special Protection Areas, or candidate Special Areas of Conservation. These include a number of larger sites where more than one plan has been prepared to cover separate areas.

There are a further 25 Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation where a Water Level Management Plan is required, but where English Nature has not yet received a draft plan, and are therefore considered to be outstanding.

For those sites that are Sites of Special Scientific Interest but are not SPAs or SACs, there are 194 that are completed at least in draft.

A further 123 SSSIs require a WLMP but have no plan prepared to date. The deadline for completing these plans is December 2000.

Lists of all the above sites have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets his Department has set for the completion of water level management plans for sites of special scientific interest which are also special protection areas or special areas of conservation. [125777]

Mr. Morley

The Government's High Level Targets for Flood and Coastal Defence document produced in November 1999 set, in partnership with English Nature, a target date of 30 March 2000 for completion of water level management plans for sites of special interest which are also special protection areas of conservation.