§ 25. Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the designation of conservation sites under the European habitats directive.
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWork is well advanced on a draft list of possible sites which will be published shortly for public consultation in preparation for the submission of a list of candidate special areas of conservation. Formal designation of sites will take place only after agreement has been reached between the Government and the Commission and after the list of those sites has been adopted in accordance with the directive.