§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his timetable for publishing the Government's biodiversity plan; [40909]
(2) what is his timetable for the biodiversity plan being approved by the relevant Cabinet committee; [40910]
(3) what representations he has received from other Government Departments about the biodiversity plan. [40911]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe United Kingdom was one of the first countries to produce a national biodiversity plan when "Biodiversity: The UK Action Plan"was published in January 1994. The plan contains some 59 board targets including a commitment to develop specific costed targets for key species and habitats for the years 2000 and 2010.
A biodiversity steering group, chaired by my Department, with members drawn from all sectors was established to take forward work under the plan. The steering group, which has consulted all the relevant Government Departments, will submit its advice to the Government in a report to be published in December this year. I expect a Government response to the report to be made by the spring of 1996.