To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department are working on the identification and designation of Ramsar sites and special protection areas.

[holding answer 4 July 1988]: We look to the Nature Conservancy Council to identify and recommend sites for designation. Amongst its other duties the nature conservation branch of the Scottish Development Department, comprising five staff, considers the Nature Conservancy Council recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to increase the resources allocated to the identification and designation of Ramsar sites and special protection areas by his Department; and whether he intends to take steps to increase the rate of progress of site designation.

[holding answer 4 July 1988]: The Scottish Development Department considers recommendations from the Nature Conservancy Council on sites to be designated Ramsar sites and special protection areas. Staffing resources allocated to this, as to other tasks of my Department, are kept under regular review. We expect to designate several sites soon. I aim to increase the rate of progress on site designation and my officials have discussed ways of achieving this with Nature Conservancy Council staff.