§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether, within the environmentally sensitive areas, the payments announced on 18 December 1986 will be available to voluntary conservation bodies for the management of land purchased with the help of grand aid from statutory conservation bodies;
(2) if, within environmentally sensitive areas, the payments announced on 18 December 1986 will be available to all landowners managing land for agricultural purposes, including voluntary conservation bodies.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1987]: Voluntary conservation bodies or their tenants are entitled to apply for payment under the environmentally sensitive areas arrangements. Each such application will be considered individually. Where a body, landowner or other individual has already agreed to protect the environmental value of the land and has received public funds for that purpose, there could in some cases be double payment if an environmentally sensitive area agreement were offered in addition. Normal principles of Government accounting on the proper use of public funds would prevent the Ministry from accepting applications in such cases.