HC Deb 26 November 1990 vol 181 cc259-60W
Mr. Galbraith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the budget for the Nature Conservancy Council for 1989–90 and the proposed budget for 1990–91;

(2) how much of the Nature Conservancy Council's budget for 1989–90, both in absolute and percentage terms, was spent in Scotland; and if he will give the same amounts for the proposed budget for 1990–91.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The grant-in-aid provided to the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) in 1989–90 and 1990–91 was £40.15 million and £44.819 million (including £750,000 to cover initial reorganisation costs) respectively.

In 1989–90 £5.161 million—12.8 per cent.—of the grant-in-aid was spent by the NCC's Scottish Directorate. The proposed spend by the Scottish Directorate in 1990–91 is £4.999 million, 11.1 per cent. of total grant-in-aid. These figures do not include either the salaries of any permanent staff working on Scottish matters or funds spent by NCC Directorates which serve Great Britain as a whole, as these cannot be identified easily.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of grant made by the Nature Conservancy Council under section 38 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to voluntary conservation bodies for the purposes of land purchase in each of the last five years in 1989–90 prices.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: The figures requested are as follows:

£ million
1985–86 0.69
1986–87 1.297
1987–88 1.289
1988–89 1.180
1989–90 0.586

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was spent by the Nature Conservancy Council for the purchase of national nature reserves in each of the last five years in 1989–90 prices.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

[holding answer 23 November 1990]: The figures requested are as follows:

£ million
1985–86 2.564
1986–87 1.756
1987–88 1.353
1988–89 1.102
1989–90 0.182