Joint Nature Conservation Committee

HC Deb 02 April 1996 vol 275 c170W

Mrs. Ray Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the budget of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee will be for 1996–97 for(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland. [23825]

Mr. Clappison

The total allocation to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee for 1996–97 will be £4.465 million, made up as follows:

	£ million
(a)English Nature	2.515
(b)Countryside Council for Wales	0.700
(c)Northern Ireland	nil
(d)Scottish Natural Heritage	1.250

Mrs. Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many ecologists were employed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1995–96; and what is the proposed number for 1996–97. [23826]

Mr. Clappison

The number of staff with relevant scientific qualifications employed by the JNCC's support unit for the years in question are:

Year	Permanent	Fixed-term appointments
1994–95	21	43
1995–96	24	36
1996–97	24	36

The figures for 1996–97 are for staff in post at 1 April. It is impossible to predict how this figure will alter during the year due to resignations or terminations of fixed-term appointment contracts.