§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the ecological value of(a) reptiles, (b) grasshoppers, (c) beetles, (d) carved flies, (e) scorpions and (f) lizards on the Island of Sombrero. [111172]
§ Mr. HainNo assessment of these matters has yet been carried out. However, information on the ecological value of the fauna and flora of Sombrero is being gathered for the review of Beal Aerospace's proposal for a commercial space rocket launch complex on the island. This review is being carried out for the Government of Anguilla by a UK Planning Inspector. It will cover material in the Environmental Assessment submitted by Beal Aerospace as well as other reports, including ones submitted by the Royal Society for the protection of Birds on invertebrates and lizards.
§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds about the development of Sombrero Island near Anguilla. [111171]
§ Mr. HainThe Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (and others) have made a number of representations to HMG and to the Government of Anguilla expressing concern about the Environmental Assessment submitted by Beal Aerospace in support of its proposal to develop a commercial rocket launch site on Sombrero. At the request of the Government of Anguilla we have therefore arranged for a UK Planning Inspector to review the evidence, so that decisions can be taken with the benefit of his advance on environmental aspects of the proposal.
The most recent representations followed surveys of the island in November 1999 and included reports by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on Seabirds, by Fauna and Flora International on Lizards and by Dr. Michael Ivie of the University of Montana on Invertebrates.