HL Deb 14 June 1985 vol 464 cc1550-1WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many new staff have, since Dr. Balfour issued her report on conservation in Northern Ireland, been employed to increase the strength of the DoE (Conservation Branch), how many more staff will be employed this year, and whether they will indicate the number of individuals and their civil service grade who are:

  1. (a) undertaking survey work to identify new Areas of Special Scientific Importance (ASSIs) and resurvey existing ASSIs;
  2. (b) undertaking the notification or renotification of land as ASSI; and
whether they will state how many sites have so far been renotified as ASSI, how many new sites have been notified as ASSI and when the Conservation Branch expect to have completed the renotification of all the existing ASSIs.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)

Since Dr. Balfour issued her report, eight new staff have been employed to increase the strength of the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland) (Conservation Branch), and four more staff will be employed this year. The department is still considering its formal response to the Balfour Report, which may involve further increases in staff.

Staff at present undertaking survey work to identify new Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) and resurvey existing Areas of Scientific Interest are as follows:—

3 Higher Scientific Officers (100 per cent. of time)
2 Scientific Officers (100 per cent. of time)
1 Principal Scientific Officer (5 per cent. of time)
1 Warden (15 per cent. of time)
5 Wardens (10 per cent. of time)
5 Rangers (each spending 12 weeks on survey work)

Staff at present undertaking the notification of renotification of land as ASSIs are as follows:—

1 Principal Scientific Officer (20 percent. of time)
1 Deputy Principal (10 per cent. of time)
1 Staff Officer (25 per cent. of time)
1 Clerical Assistant (100 per cent. of time)

No sites have so far been renotified as ASSIs. No new sites have so far been notified as ASSIs. Conservation Branch expects to have completed the renotification of all existing Areas of Scientific Interest in four years, although 80 per cent. should be processed in two years.