§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's legislative proposals on the protection of(a) SSSIs and (b) other wildlife sites; and what plans he has for the restoration of damaged sites. [94380]
§ Mr. MullinThe Government will bring forward legislation to ensure the better protection and management of SSSIs as soon as Parliamentary time permits. Measures to be taken were set out in "The Government's Framework for Action" on 2 August.
Increased emphasis on positive management agreements, backed up by new powers to combat neglect, will lead to an improvement in condition for all our SSSIs through better protection and management.
In addition, we have set up a Local Sites Review Group to consider how local authorities and other bodies can best contribute to the identification, protection and management of locally important sites.