§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the geographic extent of the review of Marine Nature Conservation with regards to(a) distance offshore and (b) marine nature conservation in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [140935]
§ Mr. MullinThe original Terms of Reference for the Review of Marine Nature Conservation were to consider issues to the limit of UK Territorial Waters. However, 781W since then the Review's Terms of Reference have been extended to allow consideration to issues up to the limit of UK jurisdiction, that is the UK Continental Shelf and superjacent waters to a limit of 200 nautical miles from baselines.
The devolved Administrations have responsibility for marine nature conservation up to the limit of Territorial Waters, subject to the requirements to meet international and European obligations.
§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the timetable is for his Department's review of marine nature conservation. [140936]
§ Mr. MullinThe Working Group of the Review of Marine Nature Conservation was originally due to report its findings to Ministers by the end of this year. However, since that timetable was agreed the Review's Terms of Reference have been extended to include consideration of issues beyond UK Territorial Waters to the limit of UK jurisdiction. In view of this, the timetable for reporting on the outcome of the Review has been extended and the Working Group is now expected to report on its consideration of issues to the extent of UK Territorial Waters during the first quarter of next year. The Working Group's final report, taking into account issues to the limit of UK jurisdiction, will be presented to Ministers by the end of summer next year.