§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to phase out peat extraction.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to phase out peat extraction.
§ Mr. BaldryI have been asked to reply.
Government policy in respect of peat extraction is currently under review. The Government recognise the nature conservation value of the peatland resource and wish to encourage the use of suitable alternative materials while recognising the value of peat for some technically demanding uses by the horticultural industry in particular. The working group on peat extraction, 7 July 1992, Official Report, column 158, is considering a range of policies to secure the protection and rehabilitation of the most important sites and limiting new extraction to areas where no damage to nature conservation interests would arise. I will be publishing the outcome from the group's work later this year. My Department has also supported English Nature in safeguarding, for nature conservation, important vegetated areas on some existing peat workings, which were previously planned for extraction.