Conservation (Hansard, 2 February 1994)

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of economic developments which have been(a) delayed and (b) discontinued by way of objections raised under the terms of the European Community directive on the conservation of natural habitats of fauna and flora.

§ Sir Hector Monro
None.

§ Mr. Morley
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on wildlife conservation on Forestry Commission land.

§ Sir Hector Monro
[holding answer 31 January 1994]: One of the main aims of the Forestry Commission's forest enterprise is to enhance the wildlife conservation value of its woodlands as a whole and to safeguard special habitats. Wildlife conservation is an integral part of forest enterprise's multi-purpose forest management which integrates wood production, conservation, recreation and amenity.
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In achieving these aims, forest enterprise undertakes a wide range of conversation projects. It manages some 400 sites of special scientific interest and 46 forest nature reserves and undertakes projects for many species of flora and fauna. All of its forest districts have prepared conservation plans which identify sites where conservation should be the principal management objective, and specify what action is to be taken in these sites.
Forest enterprise has set down its commitment to best environmental practice in the form of an environmental code which states that it:

(i) produces wood only from sustainable sources;

(ii) identifies and manages special habitats, protects and maintains archaeological features and carries out positive management for threatened species;

(iii) maintains expertise in environmental science and seeks a sound understanding of the interaction of its activities with the wider environment through available research and consultation with expert authorities;

(iv) promotes environmental awareness and understanding amongst its staff and the outside world;

(v) aims to minimise environmental disturbance in its operations and to meet the Forestry Authority's water, landscape and nature conservation guidelines;

(vi) works to conservation plan for all its forests and actively manages to maintain and enhance conservation value;

(vii) maintains close liaison with regulatory bodies and environmental organisations in order to keep in touch with their views on environmental policies and practices.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the costs of implementing the European Community directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

§ Sir Hector Monro
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced to the House on 8 December 1993 that Scottish Natural Heritage would be allocated £39.851 million in the financial year 1994–95. This represents an increase of 10.5 per cent. on Scottish Natural Heritage's grant-in-aid for 1993–94. Scottish Natural Heritage has been instructed to accord the highest priority to work to implement the EC habitats directive. It is not, however, possible to make a firm estimate of costs specific to habitats directive implementation until work to implement the directive is further advanced.