§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what responses she has made to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre regarding the Giant's Causeway. [16785]
§ Mr. CabornThe UK Government recently received a request from UNESCO's World Heritage Centre for a report on the current situation at the Giant's Causeway. My Department has lead responsibility for compliance with the World Heritage Convention and will be responding to that request as soon as possible, and certainly before the next meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Helsinki in December.
As yet there is no tangible threat to the integrity or heritage value of the Giant's Causeway World Heritage Site. The competition devised by Moyle district council for the development of its land has not yet resulted in a firm planning proposal coming before the Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland. As and when such a proposal does materialise, it will be considered carefully in accordance with the requirements of the Northern Ireland planning system; the need to protect the integrity and setting of the site will obviously be a material and significant factor. My Department intends to keep UNESCO fully informed of developments.