To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2007, Official Report, column 41W, on special areas of conservation, whether Natural England has identified further sites that should be selected as special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement. (228166)

Further to the reply of 10 December 2007, Natural England is developing proposals for eight special areas of conservation (SACs) in inshore waters following survey work last summer. It is at the stage of considering potential boundaries for the areas of qualifying habitat that they have identified. Once the proposed boundaries have been identified, they will be agreed by Natural England's board before being forwarded to DEFRA. The areas involved are:

Inner Dowsing, Race bank and North Ridge (Outer Wash);

Haisborough, Hammoond and Winterton (Outer Wash);

Margate Sands and Long Sands (Outer Thames);

Lyme Bay to Poole Bay Reefs;

Prawl Point to Plymouth Sound and Eddystone Reefs;

Lizard Point;

Lands End and Cape Bank; and

Shell Flats and& Lune Deep (Morecambe Bay).