§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has anything to add to the oral reply given by the Minister of State to the supplementary question from the hon. Member for Newham, South on 10 June concerning the operation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
§ Mrs. FennerThe Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is concerned with the conservation of wildlife and the countryside. As one means of achieving this end, Parliament has provided that the Nature Conservancy Council and other relevant authorities should have the power, under certain specified conditions, to enter into management agreements with owners and occupiers of land for the conservation of flora, fauna, natural features, etc. Although such agreements may have an effect on the agricultural output of the area concerned, the primary purpose of payments under the agreements is to conserve scientific and scenic aspects of the countryside.