§ Mr. Ron Daviesl8. asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the agreed arrangements for consultations between the Forestry Commission and the Countryside Commission over applications for forestry grant aid where the forestry proposal occurs within a national park, area of outstanding natural beauty or environmentally sensitive area.
§ Mr. John MacKayWhere planting proposals of 10 hectares or more fall within a national park or an area of outstanding natural beauty, the Forestry Commission copies to the appropriate Countryside Commission regional office all the correspondence it has with the local authority in the course of consultations of the proposals. The Countryside Commission does not normally seek to comment, unless the local authority has raised objections which cannot he resolved and the case has to be referred to the Forestry Commission's regional advisory committee under the established procedures. The Countryside Commission does, however, reserve the right to approach the Forestry Commission directly at the initial stage of any application if it disagrees with the views of the local authority.
The Forestry Commission and the Countryside Commission have agreed that similar arrangements will apply within environmentally sensitive areas once these have been designated.
§ 20. Mr. Evansasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will extend the existing consultation arrangements between the Forestry Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council over applications for forestry grant aid to areas other than those within sites of special scientific interest or possible candidates for future notification as sites of special scientific interest.
§ Mr. John MacKayAny extension of the present consultation arrangements on forestry proposals is a matter for agreement between the Forestry Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council.