HC Deb 26 March 1984 vol 57 cc75-6W
Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list each site of special scientific interest in Scotland by county, hectarage and habitat;

(2) if he will list which sites of special scientific interest have been renotified in Scotland by county, hectarage and habitat;

(3) if he will list all sites of special scientific interest in Scotland consisting of more than 40 per cent. ancient or semi-natural woodland.

Mr. Waldegrave

I am arranging to send the hon. Member and place in the Library lists showing by districts all SSSIs in Scotland and indicating those the subject of re-notifications. I regret, however, that pending computerisation of relevant data—which is proceeding in parallel with the re-notification programme — information cannot yet be readily made available on the hectarage of all these sites and the nature of the habitats provided by them, nor is it possible pending completion of the mapping of habitats to list sites consisting of more than 40 per cent. ancient or semi-natural woodland.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all sites of special scientific interest in Scotland regarded by the Nature Conservancy Council as seriously damaged since the coming into force of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Mr. Waldegrave

I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that it considers two sites of special scientific interest in Scotland to have been seriously damaged since the Act came into force. These are Abernethy forest—Seafield section—and Ladder Hills. The damage to the Abernethy forest SSSI results from a felling permission granted before the Wildlife and Countryside Act came into force.

Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all sites of special scientific interest in Scotland where compensation payments or nature reserve agreements have been made, or are in the process of being made.

Mr. Waldegrave

I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that in the last three years the following sites of special scientific interest in Scotland have been the subject of agreements under either section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 or section 16 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

Approximately 40 other sites are (currently) the subject of confidential negotiations between the landowners and the Nature Conservancy Council.