HL Deb 18 December 1985 vol 469 cc880-1WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What "social and economic issues" (4th December, Col 1401) were brought to their attention by the Argyll and Bute District Council in support of the application for planning permission to extract peat from the Site of Special Scientific Interest at Duich Moss on Islay, and which of these issues the Secretary of State gave particular weight to in deciding to grant permission to develop this site.

Lord Gray of Contin

As the noble Lord is aware, the decision letter of 18th July 1984 noted that the district council supported the application for planning permission in view of the social and economic issues involved. The district council expressed general concern that the continued well-being of the whisky industry on Islay might be compromised if peat extraction were not allowed.

Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they now feel that the development for peat extraction of the Site of Special Scientific Interest at Duich Moss on Islay has been undertaken with the "appropriate care" that they believed was necessary if the development was not to have "significant adverse effect" (4th December, col. 1402) on the nature conservation interest of the site, given that the conditions attached to the planning consent have been breached in a serious way at least once within a few weeks of work starting on the site.

Lord Gray of Contin

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is concerned that conditions relating to the drainage of the site may not have been strictly observed. As the noble Lord is aware, the Scottish Development Department have been discussing with the interested parties how best to remedy a breach that appears to have taken place.