§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what requests he has received from the Environment Commissioner of the European Communities for a reasoned opinion on the Severn estuary designation as a special protection area under the 1979 wild birds directive; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 19 February 1993]: None. The former Nature Conservancy Council's case for designation of the Severn estuary as a special protection 136W area is under consideration within Government and the European Commission will be notified of the decision in due course.