HC Deb 26 February 1997 vol 291 cc244-5W
Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact on(a) job numbers, (b) consistency of management, (c) management expertise, (d) the United Kingdom's commitment to biodiversity made at the Rio summit and (e) accountability of the contracting out of the management and maintenance of Northern Ireland's national nature reserves. [17387]

Mr. Moss

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment and Heritage Service under its chief executive, Mr. Robert C. Martin. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Robert C. Martin to Mr. Eric Illsley, dated 26 February 1997: As Chief Executive of the Environment and Heritage Service, I am responsible for operational aspects of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland's work on nature reserves. I am therefore responding to the Parliamentary Question which you put down in the House of Commons: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) job numbers, (b) consistency of management, (c) management expertise, (d) the United Kingdom's commitment to biodiversity made at the Rio Summit and (e) accountability of the contracting out of the management and maintenance of Northern Ireland's National Nature Reserves. The Prior Options Study leading to the creation of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) as a next steps agency took into consideration the four strategies published in January 1994 as apart of the government's follow-up action to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development at Rio de Janeiro. The Study determined that it was not inconsistent with those strategies to explore whether any non-government body would have the expertise to manage and maintain Northern Ireland's National Nature Reserves. Management/Operational plans for each Reserve are currently being devised following which those bodies which have declared an interest will be assessed to determine whether they have the expertise to carry out the plan effectively, efficiently and economically. No property will be transferred unless I and my Directors are satisfied that the transferee has the necessary expertise and capacity to care for the property. Accountability for management and maintenance will remain with the EHS. No jobs will be lost as a result of any transfer.