§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by his Department in promoting the adoption and enforcement of measures to prevent the release into the wild of non-native species of animals, plants and pathogens.
§ Mr. MacleanSection 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to release non-native and certain listed animals into the wild and to plant or cause to grow in the wild certain listed plants. The lists of both animals and plants were extended earlier this year. Part VI of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 introduced new provisions to prevent or minimise environmental damage arising from an escape or release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. Regulations under these provisions will be made shortly.