§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements have been made to allow consultations between representatives of nature conservation bodies (the Nature Conservancy Council, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Royal Society for Nature Conservation and local nature conservation trusts) with regional water authorities, so that the effect of water authority capital and revenue river management and land drainage schemes on wildlife can be properly considered; and what plans are in preparation to extend or review such consultations in view of the new responsibilities for nature conservation which water authorities and internal drainage boards will have under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Earl FerrersResponsibility for deciding what consultations should take place with conservation bodies, in pursuance of the statutory obligations which have been imposed by Section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968 and Section 22 of the Water Act 1973, rests with the individual water authorites and internal drainage boards. I understand that most water authorities have regular meetings with the Nature Conservancy Council in order to discuss their future maintenance programmes and river improvement schemes. In addition, when an application is made to my department for grant aid in respect of a scheme affecting a site in which conservation bodies may have an interest, the water authority or internal drainage board is required to show that it has consulted the appropriate bodies.
Notes, for the guidance of water authorities and internal drainage boards in the procedures to be adopted in the light of the amendments made to the Water Act 1973 by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, have been drafted jointly by my department and the department of the Environment. These are about to be circulated to the statutory conservation bodies, the National Water Council and the Association of Drainage Authorities for comments.