§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when a water Bill, including provision to protect wetland habitats, will be introduced; and if she will make a statement; [5465]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with the RSPB on the future of wetlands. [5467]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 20 July 2001]: We will introduce the Water Bill as soon as parliamentary time allows. The Bill will contain provision to improve water resources management and stronger powers to deal with abstractions that are causing environmental damage.
The Department is routinely in discussion with RSPB on a range of wetland related issues. In particular, RSPB is a member of the UK Ramsar Committee chaired by the Department which meets every six months to take an overview of the UK's implementation of the Convention on Wetlands.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of which breeds of birds depend on wetlands for survival in the United Kingdom. [5466]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 20 July 2001]: My statutory scientific advisers on wildlife conservation, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, conduct work on assessing bird populations of wetland areas throughout the UK. We know from surveys and research that many different species of bird depend on wetland habitats for their survival. To allow thorough assessment of these species throughout the year, several different national surveys are carried out regularly and are complemented by occasional special surveys.
For example, the Wetland Bird Survey is a long-running survey of all waterbird species on UK wetlands (2,000 sites are surveyed in every month from September to March of each year). It is run in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology, The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which breeds of birds are at risk from threats to wetland areas. [5468]
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§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 20 July 2001]: All species of bird that depend upon wetland habitats at any time of the year are at risk from threats to those habitats. Several wetland birds, such as the bittern, aquatic warbler and reed bunting, are regarded as priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and Species Action Plans have been agreed that outline the conservation actions needed. The Government have taken a variety of steps to conserve wetland habitats, including designation as Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Sites (or Areas) of Special Scientific Interest. A variety of schemes provide positive management incentives.