§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to inviting non-governmental organisations that have knowledge of the issues involved to be represented on his Department's working group on peat extraction and related matters; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanAs my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary announced on 7 July 1992 in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson),Official Report, column 158, the working group includes representatives drawn from the statutory nature and countryside conservation bodies in Great Britain, mineral planning authorities, the peat industry and Government Departments; and it has at its disposal a comprehensive range of expertise. I recognise the knowledge of some of the non-governmental organisations on peat matters. They have been invited to submit views to the group and will be further consulted as the work progresses.