§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the basis of his estimate of a period of 10 years in order to complete and put into implementation the species action plans.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe commitment to complete and put into implementation plans for at least 90 per cent. of the presently known globally threatened and threatened endemic species within the next 10 years was agreed with the territorial Departments and the statutory conservation agencies as a target which was achievable by the United Kingdom as a whole. It may prove possible for some countries, such as England, to improve upon this timescale.