COUNTRYSIDE BILL AND SPECIES AND HABITAT ACTION PLANS

Early day motion 714, tabled 10 May 2000 by Chris McCafferty (Labour). Signed by 151 members.

That this House welcomes the great level of cross party support that exists for protecting wildlife, and notes that 349 honourable Members signed EDM 11 in the last session, in support of the Wildlife Bill proposed by the honourable Member for Brighton Pavilion, and also by a cross-party group of honourable Members; welcomes the inclusion of many clauses from the Wildlife Bill in Part III (Nature Conservation and Wildlife Protection) of the Government's Countryside and Rights of Way Bill, but notes that it does not contain those key clauses that relate to species and habitat action plans; and, reaffirming the strong cross-party support for these clauses, urges the Government to amend the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill to provide a legislative footing for species and habitat recovery, since this would deliver a real difference for wildlife in wider countryside, outside of protected sites.

Signatures by party: Labour 109, Liberal Democrat 22, Labour/Co-operative 10, Conservative 9, Unknown 1.