§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will amend the provisions of the Environment Act 1995 covering the reactivation of dormant and active quarry sites to provide greater protection for(a) areas of outstanding natural 236W beauty, (b) sites of special interest and (c) other environmentally sensitive locations; and if he will make a statement. [52322]
§ Mr. RaynsfordWe have no plans to amend the Environment Act 1995. The powers in Schedule 13 to the Act to review old mineral permissions and ensure that they are brought up to date with modern operating and restoration conditions are generally working well.
§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many quarry sites for which mining permission has been approved since the implementation of Schedule 13 of the Environment Act 1995 are(a) wholly and (b) partly within (i) sites of special scientific interest and (ii) areas of outstanding natural beauty. [52321]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThis information is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many dormant quarry sites have been reactivated since the implementation of Schedule 13 to the Environment Act 1995. [52320]
§ Mr. RaynsfordAccording to information prepared by the Planning Officers' Society, there are 879 dormant sites in England and Wales. As at January 1997, 61 of these have had new conditions determined by mineral planning authorities, who are responsible for conducting minerals reviews under Schedule 13 to the 1995 Act. Dormant quarry sites cannot be re-activated until full modern conditions have been approved by the relevant mineral planning authority.