§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider increasing the level of douceur that applies to land of scientific interest, when such land is disposed of to a recognised heritage body, in view of the alarming rate of serious damage and destruction of such land recently reported by the Nature Conservancy Council, and whether they will make a statement.
§ The Earl of AvonThe Select Committee on Education, Science and the Arts has recently made recommendations on the operation of thedouceur in the transfer of ownership of works of art. The Government's conclusions on this, on which a statement will be made in due course, may affect the manner in which these arrangements apply to the disposal of land of scenic and scientific, or historic interest.