§ 2.58 p.m.
§ Lord SandfordMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have yet analysed the results of the new consultation procedures established in the autumn of 1980 for the administration of farm capital grants in designated areas; and, if so, whether they will publish the results in the Official Report.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Ferrers)My Lords, our records show that in the period of 12 months since we introduced the notification procedures under the Ministry's capital grant schemes the national park authorities have received 2,462 notifications. All except eight of these have been satisfactorily resolved. During the same period 173 notifications were sent to the Nature Conservancy Council and all of these have been resolved. As requested, I am arranging for the figures to be published in full in the Official Report.
§ Following are the figures referred to:
| FARM CAPITAL GRANT SCHEMES | |||||
| NOTIFICATIONS BY FARMERS IN NATIONAL PARKS AND SITES OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST NATIONAL PARKS |
|||||
| Approved by NPA | |||||
| National Park Authority | Notifications | as Received | as Modified | Formal Consultation with ADAS | Outstanding |
| Lake District | 321 | 314 | 6 | 1 | — |
| Northumberland | 121 | 92 | 27 | 2 | 1 |
| North Yorks Moors | 114 | 105 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| Yorkshire Dales | 162 | 110 | 50 | 2 | 2 |
| Peak Park | 342 | 239 | 101 | 2 | — |
| Exmoor | 432 | 394 | 33 | 5 | 2 |
| Dartmoor | 120 | 110 | 8 | 2 | — |
| Snowdonia | 435 | 375 | 60 | — | — |
| Brecon Beacons | 342 | 310 | 26 | 6 | 2 |
| Pembroke Coast | 73 | 65 | 5 | 3 | — |
| TOTALS | 2,462 | 2,114(86%) | 323(13%) | 25(1%) | 8(0.3%) |
| SITES OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST | |||||
| Approved by NCC | |||||
| Notifications | as Received | as Modified | Withdrawn | Outstanding | |
| Nature Conservancy Council | *173 | 142(82%) | 26(15%) | 5(3%) | Nil |
| *ADAS was consulted informally on about half of the notifications. |
§ Lord SandfordMy Lords, I am most grateful to my noble friend for that Answer and for that undertaking to publish the results in full in the Official Report. Would he not agree that this augurs well for the operation of Part II of the Wildlife and Countryside Act? Can he say now, haying analysed the facts and figures, whether he will undertake any review of this system? Moreover, in the light of that review and the coming into operation of the Wildlife and Country-side Act, can my noble friend say at what stage he thinks he will bring before the House details of the revised system of administration?
Earl FerrersMy Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his observations. I agree with him that it does augur well for Part II of the Wildlife and Country-side Act. I would only re-emphasise that, as regards matters of conservation, it is a question of understanding and co-operation between all those who are involved, and if the last 12 months' work has been indicative of that, then I think that we can look forward to success in the future. Of course, we shall keep the system under review, but I cannot tell my noble friend yet at what juncture the Government will state the results of any such review.
§ Lord Stanley of AlderleyMy Lords, would my noble friend agree that the figures do show that farmers can co-operate successfully with the national park authority, particularly when helped by the Ministry of Agriculture officials in ADAS? Secondly, due to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, at present, if one farms in a national park and on a site of special scientific interest, One has to apply to both the national park authority and the Nature. Conservancy Council to clear the operation. Would it be possible in future for that to be altered so as to apply to only one, preferably the national park authority?
Earl FerrersMy Lords, I agree with my noble friend that it does demonstrate the co-operation which is shown by the farmers and by ADAS and also by the national parks authorities and the Nature Conservancy Council. I think that it is a cause of rejoicing that that has been achieved.
My noble friend asked about those who farm in the area of a national park authority. Of course the Wildlife and Countryside. Act requires a farmer undertaking work on a site of special scientific interest to notify the Nature Conservancy. Council. The Ministry of Agriculture requires the national park authority to be notified as a condition of the grant scheme. We would endorse any arrangements which might be made for the Nature Conservancy Council to pass on to the national park authority information about work to be done, provided that the Ministry 1344 of Agriculture is satisfied that the national park authority knows of the work to be done in advance of it being done.