§ Lord Moranasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress is being made towards producing scientific criteria for the selection and designation of special areas for conservation needed to implement the European Community Habitats and Species Directive, and whether they will confirm that the criteria will apply equally to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Strathclyde)The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is co-ordinating the development of the scientific criteria for the identification of sites to be included on the national list leading to selection as special areas of conservation. English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) are also participating with JNCC in this work, which will apply to all parts of the United Kingdom. We expect to meet the deadline set by the directive for the submission of our national list.