§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the number of management agreements under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which have been entered into in(a) national nature reserves and (b) sites of special scientific interest for each year since 1981 in England; and whether the proposed damage in each case was due to (i) agriculture or (ii) forestry; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will list the number of management agreements that have been entered into in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 where payments have been given in the following ranges (a) up to £9,999, (b) £10,000 to £19,999, (c) £20,000 to £29,000, (d) £30,000 to £39,999, (e) £40,000 to £49,999, (f) £50,000 to £59,999 and (g) over £60,000;
(3) if he will list (a) the ten sites of special scientific interest and (b) the ten national nature reserves in England which have the most expensive management agreements giving the name of the site, county in which it is located and the amount which has been or is due to be paid out; if the landowners are required to positively enhance the site as part of the conditions of payments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Baldry[holding answer 3 February 1992]: Few management agreements under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have been negotiated on national nature reserves, as these are mainly already under 140W sympathetic management and the payments are negligible compared with payments on the agreements on sites of special scientific interest which follow.
Management agreements entered into in England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on sites of special scientific interest still active total 1,098.
Of these at least 61 arose from proposed damage arising from forestry. A further 1,037 arose from other proposed damage, mainly from agriculture.
The approximate number of agreements entered into or renewed each year and which are still active are as follows.
FY Number of threat cases Number due to forestry Number due to agriculture 1982–83 4 2 2 1983–84 8 3 5 1984–85 16 1 15 1985–86 25 2 23 1986–87 49 5 44 1987–88 57 2 55 1988–89 63 3 60 1989–90 247 15 232 1990–91 257 14 243 1991–92 372 14 358 Total 1,098 61 1,037 Agreements which have expired and those renewed at present are not included.
Payments have been made as follows under the 1,098 management agreements entered into England under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This covers currently existing agreements but not those that have expired. 141W
1,098 agreements £'s Number of cases with capital costs Number of cases with annual payments Less than 9,999 139 946 10,000—19,999 18 20 20,000—29,999 3 8 30,000—39,999 5 8 40,000—49,999 3 2 50,000—59,999 0 0 Greater than 60,000 5 3 Total 173 987 A few have both capital payment (lump sum) and an annual payment.
Details of management agreement payments are confidential between English Nature and the owner or occupier of land, and cannot therefore be provided.