§ 9. Mr. Donald Stewartasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional financial assistance he plans to allocate to the Nature Conservancy.
§ Mr. StewartIs the Minister aware that the Nature Conservancy asserts that it has been obliged to bear the cost recently of certain items such as the building of a dam for electricity on the Isle of Rhum and part of the cost of purchasing the Ribble estuary, which it believes should not be its responsibility? Is he further aware that that body fears that because of the lack of funds part of our national heritage will disappear for ever?
§ Mr. MonroThe right hon. Gentleman will accept that the grant to the Nature Conservancy has not been cut this year. It is the same as it was in the Estimates drawn un by the Labour Government. I am aware of the problem in Rhum. I am considering it carefully. The Nature Conservancy is making a reappraisal of its policies and functions, bearing in mind the possibilities to which the right hon. Gentleman referred.