§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those departmental responsibilities which relate to(a) England, (b) England and Wales, (c) England, Wales and Scotland and (d) the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the approximate proportion of the time and budget of his Department which exclusively relates to each of the above categories. [5960]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Department of the Environment's responsibilities, which are set out in the Department's annual report, generally relate to England only. The main exceptions are
England and WalesDrinking Water InspectorateEnvironment AgencyEngland, Wales and ScotlandPolicy responsibility for the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Countryside research and long-term monitoring programme573WSponsorship of the Joint Nature Conservation CommitteeCITES licensingRegistration of birds (Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981)Monitoring and encouraging action to reduce Government Departments' empty residential properties.Maintenance of qualification list for building contractors and consultants wishing to undertake Government contracts (NB—the list is available for use in Great Britain and to a limited extent in Northern Ireland.)Health and Safety Commission/ExecutiveBritish WaterwaysUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Policy responsibility and UK lead Department for:EC Birds DirectiveEC Habitats DirectiveUK Biodiversity Action PlanInternational Conservation Conventions (Bern, Bonn, Ramsar)Sponsorship of HOMES (Housing Organisation and Mobility Exchange Schemes)Environmental protection, including leading in international fora, in consultation with the relevant Northern Ireland Departments and the relevant Scottish and Welsh OfficesUK Round Table on Sustainable DevelopmentPanel on Sustainable DevelopmentRoyal Commission on Environmental Pollution.Provision of information on the proportion of time and budget relating to each of the categories could be provided only at disproportionate cost.