§ Caroline FlintTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received concerning English Nature's proposal to de-notify the Thame and Hatfield moors SSSI site(a) in favour of the proposal and (b) against the proposal. [13145]
§ Angela EagleThe Secretary of State has received 120 representations against English Nature's proposals to de-notify parts of Thorne and Hatfield Moors Sites of Special Scientific Interest. There have been no letters of support to date.
§ Caroline FlintTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the SSSI sites reviewed by English Nature in each year from 1990 indicating which had the SSSI status removed as a result of the review. [13143]
§ Angela EagleSince the creation of English Nature in 1991, officers have made over 10,000 visits to SSSIs. As a result of these visits, English Nature had de-notified 14 entire SSSIs comprising 11 notified solely under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, and three notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
A larger number of other SSSIs have also been subject to partial de-notification and extensions as a result of these visits.
The figures by each year are:
De-notifications 1949 Act 1981 Act Area (ha) 1991–92 0 0 — 1992–93 5 0 291 1993–94 2 0 5 1994–95 3 3 169 1995–96 0 0 — 1996–97 0 0 — 1997–98 (so far) 1 0 10