§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) have been notified under the new Nature 272WA Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985; whether they will list these sites; and whether they will state when 80 per cent. of the existing ASI series will be notified as ASSI.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Lyell)Two areas of Special Scientific Interest have been notified: in Co. Fermanagh and Co. Antrim.
Areas of Scientific Interest, notified under the provisions of the Amenity Lands Act (Nothern Ireland) 1965, are not being treated separately from other potential Areas of Special Scientific Interest. It is not, therefore, possible to accurately forecast the proportion of existing ASIs which will be notified at any given time. However, it is expected that 80 per cent. of sites which merit notification as ASSIs will be declared within the next two years.