§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many sites in the United Kingdom have been notified to the European Commission in response to Article 4 of EC Directive 79/409; and whether they will list the sites and their area, and the date they were so notified, and when will the Derwent Ings (Yorkshire), Nene Washes (Cambridgeshire), West Mainland Moors (Orkney), Christchurch Harbour (Dorset), Drumochter Hills (Highland), and Somerset Levels (Somerset) will be notified to the Commission as Special Protection Areas.
§ Lord SkelmersdaleA total of seven sites was notified to the European Commission on 31st August758WA 1982 under the terms of Article 4 of EC Directive 79/409. These were:
Name Area Loch Druidibeg, A'Machair, South Uist, Western Isles 1,043 ha Rhum, Highland 10,684 ha Moor House, Cumbria 3,894 ha Ribble Estuary, Lanes 2,182 ha Skomer, Dyfed 292 ha Orfordness-Havergate, Suffolk 117 ha Swale, Kent 113 ha My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment hopes shortly to make an announcement about a further batch of sites, including that at Derwent Ings.
We are currently awaiting from the NCC details of the remaining sites and work on listing these sites will begin as soon as this information is received.