HL Deb 29 October 1981 vol 424 cc1192-4WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applications for agricultural grant aid for operations affecting sites of special scientific interest have been referred by the applicants to the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) since the new procedures affecting such applications were introduced by the Government last year, in how many such cases the application has been (a) withdrawn or (b) modified as a result of the NCC's comments, how many such applications are currently outstanding, and in how many cases have (a) operations commenced, and (b) applications been agreed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, despite outstanding objections by the NCC.

Earl Ferrers

As potential claimants for capital grants have to notify their proposed works direct to the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), which only consults my Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in the more difficult cases, most of the information requested is not available within my department.

However, no claim for grant affecting a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) has been approved under the new procedures where there was an outstanding objection by the NCC. The other information which is requested is being sought from the NCC and I will write to the noble Lord when it is available.

Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(i) what proportion of all applications for agricultural grant aid, made since the new procedures withdrawing the requirement for applications to receive prior approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) were introduced, have been checked by (a) MAFF and (b) the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) to ensure that the land affected by the grant-aided operations is not a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), and how many applications have been found to affect an SSSI when this was not declared by the applicant; (ii) what proportion of all applications for agricultural grant-aid for operations stated by the applicant to affect an SSSI are referred by MAFF to the NCC to check that the applicant has complied with the requirement to notify the NCC before such operations are undertaken, and in how many of the applications so referred had the NCC not been informed of the operation by the applicant.

Earl Ferrers

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. The new procedures under the capital grant schemes require those who intend to carry out work on a farm, which includes a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), to consult the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) before starting work. Experience during the first year's operation of these procedures indicates that the NCC is being consulted as required under the schemes and I am not aware of any claim for grant being presented which affected an SSSI, where the work intended had not first been notified by the applicant to the NCC. The NCC copies to MAFF its correspondence with potential grant claimants in order that claims can be checked against the agreement which was reached with the NCC. Statistics of the number of checks so made are not available.

The NCC is currently compiling comprehensive lists of owners and occupiers of land on which an SSSI is situated. As these become available my department will carry out routine checks on claims for grant from such owners or occupiers in order to ensure that consultation has taken place.

House adjourned at five minutes past seven o'clock.