§ Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the geological conservation review is co-ordinated and supervised; and how it will be co-ordinated and supervised in the future.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am advised that the Geological conservation review is a key part of the NCC's earth science conservation programme. All work on the selection and safeguard of GCR sites and the publication of the review is co-ordinated by professional geologists and geomorphologists employed within the earth sciences division of the Chief Scientists Directorate. A professional overview on publication strategy is provided by a committee consisting of earth scientists from NCC's council, advisory committees and staff. There are no plans to change the existing arrangements.
§ Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what localities throughout Great Britain have already been selected for conservation by the geological conservation review unit; when they were first identified as being worthy of conservation; and when notification was completed under the provisions of section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act as amended in 1985.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Nature Conservancy Council estimates that about one third of the sites originally identified as potential geological sites of special scientific interest have been notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.