§ 33. Mr. Cyril D. TownsendTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the protection of sites of special scientific interest in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. BaldryThe appropriate territorial conservation agencies are continuing the good work of the Nature Conservancy Council in notifying sites of special scientific interest. As at 31 March 1991 the Nature Conservancy Council had notified a total of 5,671 SSSIs covering 1.8 million hectares—8 per cent. of Great Britain. The additional safeguards for SSSIs announced by the Government in September 1991 came into effect on 2 January 1992.