§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the use of his emergency conservation powers in so far as they relate to Uddens Heath, Ferndown, Dorset; and what steps he intends to take to prevent further similar occurrences elsewhere.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Nature Conservancy Council advised my Department on 19 October that Uddens Heath, which forms part of a proposed site of special scientific interest, was being bulldozed, and requested that a nature conservation order under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act be made to prevent any further damage. The site supports a number of rare localised plant species and a varied fauna including the sand lizard and the smooth snake, which are protected species. It was in my view essential to preserve the nature conservation interest of this important site, and an order prohibiting certain specified operations likely to harm such interest was made and came into effect on 22 October. My right hon. Friend will not hesitate to make similar orders to protect other threatened sites whenever he is satisfied such action is appropriate. I am, however, concerned about the vulnerability of such sites during the three-month loophole in section 28 of the Act, and I am currently considering how best to strengthen the protection afforded to existing and proposed SSSIs.