§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the action his Department is taking to increase the protection of migratory birds(a) in United Kingdom and (b) internationally. [74816]
§ Mr. MealeThe protection of migratory birds within the European Union is covered by the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC). This Directive covers the protection, management and control of these species and lays out rules for their exploitation. It is the responsibility of the European Commission to ensure Member States comply with the Directive. The Commission has recently taken action against France for the failure of its national legislation on the hunting of migratory species to comply with the Directive.
In Great Britain, the Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds is implemented by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The provisions of this Act are consistent with the Directive. Northern Ireland has similar legislation.
The UK has recently ratified the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. The Agreement, which covers over 170 states, requires Parties to take co-ordinated measures to maintain migratory waterbird species in a favourable conservation 157W status or to restore them to such a status. The Agreement should help improve protection of migratory species at an international level.