§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to invite the application of the Montreux procedure, in accordance with resolution C.5.4 of the Ramsar convention, for those United Kingdom wetland sites where the Joint Nature Conservation Committee has recently predicted or recorded negative changes in ecological character. [39238]
§ Mr. ClappisonNone. The United Kingdom is a strong supporter of the Ramsar convention, which does much valuable work in fostering the conservation and wise use of wetlands. The United Kingdom national report to the sixth meeting of Ramsar contracting parties in 1996 states that the ecological character of 12 of the 95 United Kingdom Ramsar sites has changed, is changing or is likely to change. No additional UK sites are appropriate for inclusion on the Montreux record. In responding the UK national report, the Ramsar secretariat stated that the UK report is one of the most comprehensive, detailed and open of the reports they receive. A copy of the UK national Ramsar report is in the House Library.
One UK Ramsar site, the Dee estuary, is currently on the Montreux record, and was the subject of a monitoring visit last autumn by the Ramsar bureau and other 747W international wetland experts who reported to my right hon. Friend this summer. A response to this report is currently in preparation.