§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Government's timetable is for(a) completing its selection of special areas of conservation and (b) completing the submission of the UK's sites to the European Commission. [150722]
Mr. Robert AinsworthEnglish Nature began consultations on possible additions to England's list of candidate special areas of conservation (cSACs) on 16 August 2000. As they conclude discussions on the scientific justification for each new site, or amendment to an existing cSAC, the site's details will be submitted to the European Commission. I anticipate that this process will be substantially completed by September 2001. Parallel processes are taking place in other parts of the UK where site selection is a devolved matter. In July 2000, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee were requested to
Table 2: Sub-regional structure Sub-region Main country areas Principal urban areas in sub-region Northern Former Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire except south Bristol, Bath,Weston-super Mare, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Swindon South-Eastern Dorset, southern Wiltshire Bournemouth, Poole Central Eastern Devon, Somerset Taunton, Exeter, Torbay Western Cornwall, northern and western Devon, western Somerset, Isles of Scilly Plymouth
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 13 February 2001,Official Report, column 117W, if there is an overlap between the south eastern sub-region of the South West and the South East Region; and if he will make a statement. [150990]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe sub-regional approach proposed in the revised draft Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) for the South-West is limited to the South-West region. The Guidance recognises that cross-boundary issues may arise in the implementation of RPG and that regional planning bodies will need to liaise accordingly.