§ Mr. Ennalsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what efforts are made to integrate works to improve rivers and river catchments and nature conservation interests (a) when the area affected is a site of special scientific interest or contains a site of special scientific interest and (b) where the area is not a site of special scientific interest, but is considered to be of above average interest by the Nature Conservancy Council.
§ Mrs. FennerThe primary responsibility for ensuring that conservation interests are taken into account in river improvement schemes rests with the water authority or internal drainage board concerned. When a proposed scheme is likely to cause damage to a site of special scientific interest which has already been notified to the drainage authority there is full consultation with the Nature Conservancy Council to ensure that so far as possible the site is protected from damage.
The extent to which schemes which do not affect sites of special scientific interest may be adapted to meet the views of the Nature Conservancy Council will depend upon the nature of the scheme and whether the desired changes to its design are consistent with the purpose of the Land Drainage Act 1976.