§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to protect the United Kingdom marine environment from hazards associated with the introduction of non-native shellfish.
§ Mr. BaldryMy Department received a recommendation from the former Nature Conservancy Council that a number of non-native species should be added to schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, including the following species of non-native shellfish: American hard shell clam; noble crayfish; signal crayfish; Turkish crayfish and Pacific oyster. The effect of such changes would be to make it illegal to release specimens of these species into the wild in Great Britain. We have consulted widely on the recommendations and expect to make an announcement shortly.