§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received a resolution from the International Mire Conservation Group calling on them to protect the Duich Moss Site of Specific Scientific Interest on Islay; which countries support this resolution; and what response they have made to it.
§ Lord GlenarthurYes. The signatories are individuals from Eire, West Germany, Canada, Sweden, Austria, Finland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the USA. The response indicated that careful consideration was given before planning permission for peat extraction from Duich Moss was granted; that as a result of the European Commission's intervention under their Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds, operations on Duich Moss have been suspended while the feasibility of an alternative site is being investigated; and that the outcome of this investigation will be reported to the European Commission and taken into account in further consideration of their complaint.