§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from English Nature concerning the conservation of the remaining vegetated areas of Thorne and Hatfield moors, including the effect of the continued extraction of peat from the other areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) on 27 February 1992,Official Report, column 561. English Nature will be producing management plans for the vegetated areas of 229W these sites. High water tables will be maintained by a programme of controlled blocking of drains. Detailed monitoring of the effects will take place against recent baseline studies. English Nature will also be producing after-use plans for the areas where peat extraction is to continue.