§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why English Nature did not inform the hon. Member for Totnes of its wish to extend, under section 28C of the Wildlife Countryside Act 1981, the site boundaries of Slapton Ley site of Special Scientific Interest. [167491]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 26 April 2004]: Notification of the boundary extension and addition of interest features, to Slapton Ley Site of Special Scientific Interest was made on 11 February 2004 and in accordance with the requirements specified in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended. Also according to those requirements, a public notice appeared in the Western Morning News on 17 February 2004. The consultation period on this notification ends on the 11 June 2004. English Nature must decide whether to confirm the notification within nine months. Any unresolved objections will be considered by English Nature's Council at its meeting in September 2004.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many changes to the geographical boundaries of sites of Special Scientific Interest have been made in each of the last three years; and which have(a) increased and (b) decreased in area. [167492]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 26 April 2004]: In the last three years there have been 15 geographical changes to SSSIs boundaries made under section 28B and section 28C of the Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981, as amended. Those that have had their areas increased are shown in the list. None of the changes resulted in decreases to a SSSI area.
2001–02
1 Changes to these SSSIs have been notified but not yet confirmed, as the nine month period for doing so is on-going.
- Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh
- River Dee
- Thatcham Reed Beds
- Dabble Bank
- Ravenhead Brickworks
- Total: 5
1350W - 2002–03
- Compton Chine to Steephill Cove
- Purfleet Chalk Pit
- Crookhill Brick Pit1
- Ebernoe Common1
- Eversden and Wimpole Woods
- Stour Estuary
- Orwell Estuary
- Total: 7
- 2003–04 (to present)
- Humber Estuary1
- Orton Pit1
- Slapton Ley1
- Total: 3
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been proposed by English Nature to the rules and regulations affecting sites of Special Scientific Interest; and whether the changes as proposed in relation to the Slapton Ley site are part of a national change. [167493]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 26 April 2004]: Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are notified and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (WCA) 1981, as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000. No changes to this regime have been proposed by English Nature. Under this regime, English Nature has a duty to notify land as a SSSI, and may amend existing SSSIs, where it is of the opinion that land is of special interest by reason of the flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features. The changes at Slapton Ley SSSI have been notified under section 28C of the WCA 1981.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many sites of special scientific interest there are, broken down by region; and if she will list the additional sites declared in each of the last three years. [167494]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 26 April 2004]: There are a total of 4,111 sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in England. Some SSSIs cross regional boundaries, and will therefore have been double counted in the table bellow.
1351W
Government region Number of SSSIs Eastern 569 East Midlands 391 London 34 North East 256 North West 442 South East 703 South West 978 West Midlands 446 Yorks 375
19 new SSSIs have been confirmed in the last three years. They are: 2001–2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 Birklands West and 011erton Corner Chapel Point to Walla Bank Slade Brook Roecliffe Manor Lawns Caen Valley Bats Mattishall Moor Withcall and South Willingham Tunnels Lower Coombe and Ferne Brook Meadow Normanby Meadows Barn Elms Wetland Centre Stiffkey Valley Long Lye Meadows Briddlesford Copses Cranmore Common Holehaven Creek Sutton and Lound Gravel Pits Harries Ground, Rodbourne Beck Dale Meadows Mottisfont Bats Total: 9 Total: 9 Total: 1
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reasons were for the Standard Types of Operation 19 and 21, in Annex 3 of English Nature's notification under section 28C of the Wildlife arid Countryside Act 1981 issued on 11 February 2004 relating to Slapton Ley Site of Special Scientific Interest. [167868]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 26 April 2004]: English Nature is required under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended, to notify any operations which appear to it to be likely to damage the special interest of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). English Nature must consent before any such operations are carried out. I Understand from English Nature that Operation 19 and Operation 21 were specified as likely to damage the special interest of Slapton Ley SSSI when the site was re-notified in 1984. They remain applicable to Slapton Ley SSSI because it is considered that such operations would have the potential to cause damage to the site. The legislation requires English Nature to notify any such operations anew when exercising its powers under section 28C of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended.