To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of sites of special scientific interest that have had no condition assessments undertaken in the last six years; and if he will publish the names of those sites.
Answered on
28 June 2018
As of 20 June 2018 there were 4,126 sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs). 1,941 SSSIs (47%) had not had an assessment by Natural England within the past six years. Information on assessments of individual SSSIs, including the dates and details of the last assessments, is published by Natural England online at https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/.
Natural England is exploring ways to increase monitoring of SSSIs, including through the use of new technologies and greater partnership involvement.