§ Mr. Ennalsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps designed to prevent the swallowtail butterfly and the Norfolk aeshna dragonfly from becoming extinct; and whether he considers that proposals for the Yare barrier will affect the future of these species.
§ Mr. KingI have no proposals for the swallowtail butterfly. The Nature Conservancy Council advises me that the status of the swallowtail is being maintained and would not be affected by a flood control scheme for the Yare barrier.
If any scheme were to proceed I am advised that the Norfolk aeshna dragonfly could be at risk from subsequent changes in land use. In that event, I would expect the Nature Conservancy Council to advise me of any measures that might be required.