§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the payment of grants to owners of sites of special scientific interest for the purposes of(a) preventing damage to, and (b) enhancing, the nature conservation interest of the land.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Government encourage the Nature Conservancy Council to use the powers set out in section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 to protect and enhance the nature conservation interest of sites of special scientific interest and its powers to assist financially any person to carry out any project which is conducive to nature conservation interests.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current statutory seaward limit of sites of special scientific interest in tidal waters.
§ Mr. TrippierI will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to increase the sentences and penalties available to magistrates courts under part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in line with the proposals contained in the recent White Paper on criminal justice.
§ Mr. TrippierThere are at present no plans to do so. The level of fine on summary conviction for offences under part 1 of the Act against the most vulnerable species is set out at the current statutory maximum.