§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many plant species which are native to the United Kingdom were assessed by his Department to be at risk in(a) 1985, (b) 1990 and (c) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [25016]
§ Mr. ClappisonStatistics for native vascular plants at risk have been drawn from the digest of environmental statistics, published annually by the Department of the Environment, which lists the number of native plants, and which until 1994 categorised them as endangered, vulnerable or rare according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature red data book criteria.
1985 1990 Endangered 51 51 Vulnerable 93 93 Rare 154 154
Statistics compiled for the 1995 digest were based on revised IUCN red list risk assessment criteria, and are not therefore directly comparable. 1995 Critically endangered 16 Endangered 45 Vulnerable 132 Near threatened 109