§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines she issued to English Nature prior to English Nature's recent assessment of sites of special scientific interest. [171071]
§ Mr. BradshawEnglish Nature assesses the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) according to common standards agreed for the UK through the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), and not on the basis of Government guidelines. Detailed standards for individual habitats and species are also prepared through the JNCC.
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§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what English Nature's policy is regarding informing relevant landowners of its intention to conduct assessments of sites of special scientific interest. [171072]
§ Mr. BradshawEnglish Nature will seek permission from an owner before entering onto land within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) to make a condition assessment. In the rare cases where permission is refused, or where ownership cannot be ascertained (four out of 4,699 assessments of SSSI units in 2003–04), English Nature has power of entry onto land to carry out condition assessments.
§ Mr. HunterTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what English Nature's policy is on allowing relevant landowners(a) to see the information it holds on sites of special scientific interest and (b) to comment on it before it is published. [171073]
§ Mr. BradshawThe English Nature website gives information on the conservation interest of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and their condition. The ecological and geological information on SSSIs is generally available from English Nature, on request, under the Environmental Information Regulations. Owners and occupiers are welcome to offer comments on the information on SSSIs on the website. There is a comments section on the website, under the heading 'Contact Us'.