§ Lord Norrieasked Her Majesty's Government:
Pursuant to their Answer of 27th July 1988 (Official Report, cols. 372–373), whether they have now considered with the Nature Conservancy Council whether any changes in the way in which the site of special scientific interest system has been applied to southern heathlands would be appropriate, and what, if any, conclusions have been reached.
The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Caithness)In the light of discussions with the Nature Conservancy Council, we are generally satisfied that the SSSI system remains adequate to ensure that nature conservation interests are taken fully into account in land use decisions and that in practice it is working well to protect these important sites. In this respect, I draw attention to the recent decision of my right honourable friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and the Environment to refuse permission for the Ringwood Road (North) and Ferndown Relief Road because it would have caused significant harm to the nature conservation interests of three areas of Dorset heathland SSSI.