HL Deb 10 October 1988 vol 500 cc712-3WA
Lord Blease

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Pursuant to their reply of 27th June (HL deb. col. 1284), whether decisions as to whether sites in Northern Ireland qualify for designation as Ramsar sites or special protection areas are taken in tandem with the identification of areas of special scientific interest.

Lord Lyell

Decisions as to whether sites in Northern Ireland qualify for designation as Ramsar sites or special protection areas are not necessarily taken tandem with the identification of areas of special scientific interest (ASSIs), as other factors may need to be taken into account. ASSIs may be declared for reasons other than, or in addition to, their importance for wild birds and ASSI boundaries would not always coincide with the boundaries of the Ramsar sites or special protection areas. Final decisions to designate areas as Ramsar sites or special protection areas will not be taken until after an area has been declared and confirmed as an ASSI and the Department of the Environment's Advisory Committee, the Committee for Nature Conservation, has been consulted.

Lord Blease

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Pursuant to their reply of 27th June (HL. deb col. 1285), whether they will state in percentage terms what constitutes the bulk of the programme for designating areas of special scientific interest, and when they expect this to be reached.

Lord Lyell

The bulk of the programme for designating Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) can be taken as meaning about 80 per cent. It is difficult to say when this stage will be reached since the total number of ASSIs to be declared will not be known until survey work is completed and this itself will take several years. I would not expect the bulk of the designation programme to be completed in fewer than five years.

Lord Blease

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Pursuant to their reply of 27th June (HL. deb. col. 1286), whether they will state the appropriate stage at which relevant voluntary bodies will be consulted regarding proposals for the designation as Ramsar sites or special protection areas, what form such consultations will take and which aspects of the proposals will be addressed.

Lord Lyell

Detailed procedures for consultation have not yet been formulated. Careful consideration will however be given to setting up consultative procedures in the light of experience in Great Britain in order to ensure that relevant voluntary bodies are given an appropriate opportunity to comment. Some voluntary bodies have already expressed their views on potential Ramsar sites or special protection areas, and these are, of course, welcome at any time.