§ Mr. Keyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by category, grants-in-aid to the Countryside Commission and to the Nature Conservancy Council to encourage sound conservation practices in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldGrant-in-aid has been paid to the Countryside Commission only since 1 April 1982 as follows:
£ million 1982–83 11.2 1983–84 12.5 1984–85 13.0 1985–86 15.3 1986–87* 17.7 * Proposed.
The commission has dual statutory purposes of conserving the natural beauty of the countryside and improving facilities for its enjoyment and it is not possible 277W to identify the amounts spent on conservation practices. The commission's annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library, do however, give an indication of how their expenditure is broken down.
Grant-in-aid to the Nature Conservancy Council is paid in support of its conservation functions generally. The figures since 1979 are as set out:
£ million 1979–80 7.9 1980–81 9.4 1981–82 10.2 1982–83 11.5 1983–84 12.8 1984–85 18.1 1985–86 22.7 1986–87* 32.1 * Proposed.