§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to make funds available to voluntary conservation bodies to assist them with the purchase and management of those national nature reserves which are currently owned or part-owned by the Nature Conservancy Council in the event of such areas being taken out of the public sector; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) on 9 December at column350. The Government will consider whether any financial assistance to voluntary bodies is required in the light of the Nature Conservancy Council's report.