§ 23. Mr. JesselTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he is taking to preserve wildlife.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 already afford protection to all birds and to other species of animal or plant considered to be endangered and to any area of land considered to be of special scientific interest by reason of its flora, fauna or geographical or physiographical features. The schedules of protected species are reviewed every five years and, as a result of the last quinquennial review, 48 species of animals and 31 species of plants received added protection. The next review is scheduled for 1991.