§ Mr. SpellarTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has a contingency plan and adequate financial resources to offer crofters and farmers conservation grants to help the conservation of corncrakes should this bird species return to Northern Ireland to attempt to breed. [16665]
§ Mr. MossThe Department of the Environment will continue to operate a grant system which has been in operation for the past five years for farmers who have on their land corncrakes with an indication of nesting. Discussions have recently taken place between officials and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on the detailed operation of this scheme which, despite the co-operation of the farming community, has failed to halt the serious decline of this bird.