§ Mrs. Helen ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what she is doing to ensure that river basin management plans under the EC Water Framework Directive will help to deliver the Government's commitments to sites of special scientific interest. [76385]
(2) what assessment she has made of whether sites of special scientific interests are covered by the provisions of the Water Framework Directive established for protected areas. [76386]
§ Mr. MorleySites of special scientific interest (SSSI) are covered by the provisions of the Water Framework Directive to the extent that they are also "protected areas" which have been designated as requiring special protection under specific Community legislation for the conservation of habitats and species directlydepending on water. These areas will include relevant Natura 2000 sites designated under the Birds and Habitats Directives. In addition, the improved management of the water environment to be delivered through the Water Framework Directive is expected to contribute to the water quality needs of SSSIs not designated under specific Community legislation. (76384)
River basin management plans will include maps which identify protected areas. Consideration is being given to include on such maps for information purposes all SSSI's, including SSSIs not designated under Community legislation. These maps would then provide a comprehensive summary of water quality related conservation objectives set at both Community and national level.
814WThe deadline for meeting the water quality objectives established by the Water Framework Directive is December 2015 at the latest. Since the Government has a target to bring 95 per cent. of SSSIs into favourable condition by 2010, implementation of the Directive will not have a direct bearing on elivering the Government's commitment on SSSIs by 2010. However, in the long term, through its emphasis on a holistic, river basin based approach to water management, using water quality criteria based on ecological parameters, implementation of the Directive will benefit SSSIs