Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what sites recommended to his Department by Natural England for classification or reclassification as Special Protection Areas under the Wild Birds Directive are not yet classified as such; on what date each such recommendation was received; and when he plans to classify those sites.

Defra has received scientific advice from Natural England regarding the following potential Special Protection Areas:

• Bowland Fells (addition of lesser black backed gull) - Natural England departmental brief received 2 October 2012;
• Flamborough and Filey Coast (site extension) - Natural England departmental brief received 19 June 2013;
• Solway Firth (site extension) – Natural England departmental brief received 26 June 2015;
• Solent and Dorset Coast (new marine site) – Natural England departmental brief received 8 September 2015;
• Crouch and Roach Estuaries (site extension) - Natural England departmental brief received 9 March 2016;
• Isles of Scilly (site extension) – Natural England departmental brief received 9 March 2018; and
• Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast (site extension) - Natural England departmental brief received 9 March 2018.

The decision to classify the above sites formally will be made following consideration of the respective public consultations and in view of other site designation priorities.