§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects additional draft regulations to implement the EU habitats directive on consents and permissions to be laid before the House, as indicated in his undertaking of 19 July, Official Report, column 242.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Government are currently considering the form that the additional regulations should take. They will be laid as soon as possible in the new year.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has to report on the establishment of joint working arrangements between sea fisheries committees, harbour authorities and local authorities as regards meeting the United Kingdom obligations under the European Union habitats directive for effective conservation in the maritime zone up to six miles offshore in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland, as announced in his undertaking of 19 July, Official Report, column 242.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe obligations under the directive relate to designated special areas of conservation. No SACs will be designated until the list has been agreed with the Commission some time after June 1995. Where necessary for marine sites, management schemes will be developed. I expect these to build upon the arrangements being developed on a voluntary basis for many areas of our coast.