asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they appreciate that members of the public are anxious to know the answer to Lord Avebury's Question "whether the documents withdrawn from the Public Record Office concerning the issue of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands will he returned before the general election"; whether they are aware of the disappointment caused by their statement in reply (

I am not aware of public anxiety or disappointment about the answer I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Avebury's Question of 10th May. The small number of documents withdrawn from the Public Record Office for use within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are returned once they are no longer required.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware that drainage works have been started on two further areas of exceptional wildlife interest in the Somerset Levels, King's Sedgemoor and Curry Moor, areas recognised by both the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) and the Somerset County Council as being of sufficient importance to be designated SSSI's, and whether they will immediately instruct the NCC to apply for a Section 29 order under the Wildlife and Countryside Act to cover all the areas of SSSI quality on the Somerset Levels that are not yet notified as SSSI's.

I am aware that some recent drainage work has taken place on King's Sedgemoor and Curry Moor in Somerset. I understand that Somerset County Council will be identifying certain areas as being of exceptional wildlife interest in their Somerset Levels and Moors Plans, which is due to be published this summer, and that a number of areas, including King's Sedgemoor, are also being considered by NCC for possible notification as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. It is for the NCC to advise us if they consider that orders under Section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act are necessary for any area which meets the criteria laid down in the Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree that the current drainage work on King's Sedgemoor and Curry Moor on the Somerset Levels, following the recent destruction of the wildlife interest by the drainage of part of Tealham and Tadham Moor, demonstrates clearly that the "voluntary principle" on which the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 was based is totally ineffectual.

The provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to which the noble Lord alludes apply only to notified SSSIs and to proposed SSSIs where the Nature Conservancy Council has given notice of its intention to notify to owners and occupiers. None of the sites mentioned falls into either category.The "voluntary principle" in nature conservation matters, so far from being ineffectual, is the only realistic and effective approach. It would be impracticable to muster the army of bureaucrats that would be needed to undertake the detailed supervision of agricultural operations, including such matters as the number of sheep permitted to graze in particular areas, that would be needed to impose countrywide restrictions through planning machinery. Even if this negative control could be achieved, it would alienate the rural community and forfeit the active co-operation that is essential if the landscape and wildlife habitats of Britain, which were created by man's actions, are to be maintained. The irresponsible threat of replacing voluntary co-operation by compulsion—even though it could not be implemented—could well make some farmers feel obliged in their children's interests to destroy natural features of their land while the opportunity remained open to them, even if they had had no previous intention of doing so. Compulsion, or even the threat of compulsion, would do irreparable harm to our natural heritage.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Lower Bure Internal Drainage Board (IDB) in Somerset has received a copy of the guidelines issued to statutory undertakers explaining the procedures to be followed under Section 48 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and whether they agree that the IDB's refusal to co-operate with the Nature Conservancy Council over the Board's activities on Tealham and Tadham Moor on the Somerset Levels means that is in breach of Section 48 of the Act.

Copies of the Guidance Notes on the procedures to be followed under Section 22 of the Water Act 1973 as amended by Section 48 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 were sent to all Internal Drainage Boards, including the Lower Bure IDB, on 9th November 1982.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the owners on Tealham and Tadham Moors (Somerset) who have recently completed field drainage on their land were advised or assisted by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service or Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials prior to commencing these drainage works, and, if so, whether these officials notified the NCC of the proposed works in view of the NCC's known interest in this area.

Advice from Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) officers was sought on some of the recent drainage operations on Tealham and Tadham Moors. Where the farmers concerned had not already done so, they were urged to consult with the Nature Conservancy Council, or to permit ADAS to consult the Nature Conservancy Council on their behalf, before the proposed operations were undertaken. It would not have been proper for ADAS officers to breach the confidence, which is entrusted to them by farmers, with whom the ultimate responsibility must rest for consulting with the Nature Conservancy Council about their proposed operation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware that General Altenburg of the West German Bundeswehr has said "Nuclear first use can strike one target somewhere as a political signal and doesn't necessarily mean a transition to battlefield nuclear war in the Federal Republic of Germany" and whether, were such a statement made by a Soviet General, they would not condemn it as indicating a readiness to begin the nuclear escalation process leading to a holocaust.

I refer the noble Lord to the full transcript of General Altenburg's interview, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. NATO is a defensive alliance and none of its weapons, whether conventional or nuclear, would ever be used except in response to attack.