§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the protection afforded to the linnet under the draft hedgerow regulations. [21089]
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what protection the draft hedgerow regulations provide for the song thrush. [21298]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe draft Hedgerows Regulations 1997, as laid before Parliament, protect hedgerows which are important in terms of their historic, wildlife or landscape value, as set out in the criteria listed at schedule 1. One of the criteria for determining the wildlife value of the hedgerow is the presence of species of birds, mammals, insects or plants within specified categories, which do not include the linnet or song thrush.
A costed action plan to halt the decline of the song thrush by the year 2000 was drawn up by the biodiversity steering group. The group is currently preparing an action plan for the linnet.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the average cost of implementing the draft hedgerow regulations for each local authority in England. [21295]
§ Mr. ClappisonCosts of implementing the draft Hedgerows Regulations, as laid in Parliament, together with costs relating to many other individual services, are included within local authorities' "All Other Services" standard spending assessments, but are not separately identified.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to enable the biodiversity value of a hedgerow to be measured within the evaluation period; and if he will make a statement. [21297]
§ Mr. ClappisonSchedule 1 to the draft Hedgerows Regulations, as laid in Parliament, sets out the criteria which local planning authorities must use to determine the importance of a hedgerow notified to them. The criteria include several relating to the value of the hedgerow for wildlife and for biological diversity.