HC Deb 20 January 1994 vol 235 cc836-7W
Mr. Morley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the measures he intends to take to implement the European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora in the United Kingdom, indicating whether they will be introduced through(a) primary legislation, (b) secondary legislation, (c) planning guidance notes or (d) some other means; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins

The Government set out their proposals for implementing the EC habitats directive in the consultation paper issued on 4 October 1993, a copy of which is in the Library. Final decisions will be taken when the responses to the consultation have been fully evaluated. We propose that the necessary measures will be introduced by a combination of regulations under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, official guidance notes and public policy statements.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to involve the voluntary nature conservation organisations in the selection of sites to be designated as special areas of conservation under the European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins

It is the function of the statutory nature conservation agencies to advise the Government on the selection of sites for inclusion on the United Kingdom's list of candidate SACs. The voluntary nature conservation organisations will be included in the consultation process which will commence before the list is submitted to the Commission.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to restore habitats to be protected under the European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora in the United Kingdom to a favourable conservation status; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins

The directive intends the Natura 2000 network as a whole to enable the maintenance or, where appropriate, restoration of the natural habitat types and species listed in annexes I and II to a favourable conservation status. We are engaged in discussions with the Commission and other member states about what is necessary to ensure the network achieves this. The nature conservation agencies are currently engaged in evaluating the information and data they hold to advise the Government on the United Kingdom contribution to the network.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been made of the costs of implementing the European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora to(a) the United Kingdom Government and (b) the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Atkins

Until the nature conservation agencies have completed evaluation of the information they hold and drawn up their advice to Government on candidate sites for designation under the directive, it will not be possible to make a meaningful assessment of the costs of implementing the directive.