§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what definitions of the 45 priority habitats identified under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan have been established and agreed within the statutory nature conservation agencies in each county of the UK; and where such definitions have been, or will be, published. [189284]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 16 September 2004]: Initial definitions for each of the 45 priority habitats are provided in the relevant priority habitat action plans on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan website (www.ukbap.org.uk). These have been agreed by the statutory nature conservation agencies in the UK. The Countryside Council for Wales published a technical guide to the priority habitats of Wales in 2003. Work to produce a comprehensive interpretation manual for priority habitats at a UK level is well advanced and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee aims to publish this document by the end of this financial year.
1917W
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken pursuant to the Biodiversity Action Plan to integrate biodiversity considerations into policies and programmes affecting(a) agriculture, (b) water and wetlands, (c) woodland and forestry, (d) towns, cities and new developments and (e) coasts and seas; and if she will make a statement. [189285]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 16 September 2004]: In October 2002 the Government published 'Working with the grain of nature, a biodiversity strategy for England. The strategy aims to facilitate implementation of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) in England, and to ensure that biodiversity is an integral consideration of all policies and programmes. It sets out work plans for integrating consideration of biodiversity into the main economic areas that affect it including agriculture, water and wetlands, woodland and forestry, towns, cities and development and coasts and seas.
Implementation groups have been established to take forward the work plans for these key sectors. They include representatives from government, the agencies, conservation NGOs, and other relevant organisations. A first annual stock take on progress with the strategy was published in October 2003 and a full report will be published in 2006.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of assessments made in 2002 in relation to UK status and trends for the Biodiversity Action Plan priority species were based on(a) survey data and (b) estimates. [189286]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 16 September 2004]: There are currently 391 species action plans (SAPs) being implemented as part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). In 2002 Lead Partners were asked to report on progress with targets set in the plans and to estimate the current status and trend of the species.
71 per cent. of the status assessments received were based on survey data and 29 per cent. were either based on estimates (17 per cent.) or no source was given for the assessment (12 per cent.). For trends, 59 per cent. of the assessments received were based on survey data and 41 per cent. were either based on estimates (32 per cent.) or no source was given for the assessment (9 per cent.)
The UK Biodiversity Reporting and Information Group has been investigating the gaps in survey coverage revealed by 2002 reporting and expects the next BAP reporting round in 2005 to show a substantial improvement.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she has taken to improve the(a) surveillance and (b) monitoring of biodiversity since the 2002 biodiversity reporting round; what plans she has for new measures; and if she will make a statement. [189287]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 16 September 2004]: Defra and the statutory nature conservation agencies have an extensive ongoing programme of biodiversity surveillance and monitoring mostly undertaken in partnership with the voluntary sector. Since 2002 these 1918W programmes have produced: a new atlas of the British flora; annual trends in populations of wild birds; new partnerships for surveillance of bats and other mammals; the first complete assessment of the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in England; and, an internet gateway providing access to over 15 million species records in the National Biodiversity Network. We are also contributing funds to a major new project to assess the abundance of whales, dolphins and porpoises in European Atlantic waters.
As part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan a Biodiversity Reporting and Information Group has been established with a mandate to improve the monitoring and reporting of status and trends in priority habitats and species. The Group is currently planning to undertake a major review of status and trends in 2005.