HC Deb 23 May 1989 vol 153 cc465-6W
Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his statement in the First Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments,Official Report, 15 February, column 16, concerning the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, whether written consents

Single payments and supplementary benefit caseloads for the period 18 December 1986 to 28 July 1987
Single payments Supplementary benefit caseloads at1
Social Security office Number £ 10 February 1987 8 May 1987 28 July 1987
Andersonstown 7,504 899,549.64 7,775 7,600 7,754
Antrim 9,163 419,947.62 5,597 5,448 5,487
Armagh 3,426 307,000.02 4,941 4,814 5,078
Ballymena 3,984 356,515.64 6,263 5,971 6,547
Ballymoney 3,635 255,552.61 4,363 4,552 4,358
Ballynahinch 476 34,043.00 1,418 1,463 1,502
Banbridge 1,961 145,245.38 3,378 3,268 3,358
Bangor 2,279 155,179.84 4,520 4,519 4,848
Carrickfergus 2,520 152,719.20 3,075 3,021 3,078
Coleraine 5,982 409,362.68 6,220 5,973 6,066

under that order from the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) to owners or occupiers of areas of special scientific interest for the carrying out of notifiable operations on such land will specify the exact nature of the consented operation, its limits in time and area, and such other conditions as may be deemed appropriate.

Mr. Needham

Written consents issued to owners or occupiers of land with within areas of special scientific interest under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 will specify the exact nature of the consented operations and, where relevant, any limits in time and area. Consents will also specify such other conditions as may be deemed appropriate.

There will be no difference in the form of consents issued under this order from those issued under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his statement in the First Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments,Official Report, 15 February, column 16, whether he has now considered further the matter of progress in designing special protection areas in Northern Ireland under EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds, and if he will make a statement on measures to speed up the process.

Mr. Needham

The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has re-examined the procedures for the designation of special protection areas under the terms of EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds. While priority is being given to the declaration of areas of special scientific interest under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, where ASSIs are also potential SPAs, the Department will proceed towards SPA designation as soon as is practicable after such ASSI declarations have been confirmed.

It is expected that a small number of SPAs will be designated under the above arrangements during the next two years.