§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Derwent Ings qualifies for special conservation measures under article 4 of EEC directive 79/409/EEC.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneOnly 19 sites have so far been positively identified as qualifying for special conservation measures under article 4. The Derwent Ings is not among them—but the question of notifying further sites is still under consideration.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Derwent Ings has been notified as a site of special scientific interest; and, if so, when it was notified and for what reason.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe Derwent Ings site of special scientific interest, including North Duffield Carrs, was first notified by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1975 and was extended in 1981.
The site is considered important by the NCC for its alluvial grassland flora, and as a breeding habitat for a wide range of wetland bird species, some of them rare, and of international importance for wintering wildfowl, in particular Bewick's swan, teal and wigeon.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Nature Conservancy Council has agreed or rejected draft proposals to pump drain that section of the Derwent Ings known as North Duffield Carrs.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneI am advised that in informal consultations with the Ouse and Derwent internal drainage520W board, the Nature Conservancy Council has indicated its outright objection to the proposal for a permanent pumped drainage scheme at North Duffield Cans.
Discussions with the internal drainage board are in progess over its new proposal for temporary pumping on an experimental basis.