HC Deb 16 January 2003 vol 397 cc728-9W
Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with the Government. Departments responsible for provision of emergency telecommunication services about minimising the(a) numbers and (b) environmental impact of transmitters located in (i) AONBs and (ii) national parks. [90852]

Alun Michael

Defra officials met officials from the Home Office and Department for Trade and Industry in February 2002, and met officials from the Planning Division of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in December 2002. The meetings addressed the level of coverage required by the emergency services against the need to contain the number of telecommunication masts in AONBs and national parks, and to minimise the impact of the installation of essential masts.

Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was paid to the Countryside Agency for AONBs in 2002–03, for core costs and projected expenditure, broken down by AONB. [90895]

Alun Michael

For 2002–03, Defra has provided the Countryside Agency with an extra £2.5 million to increase core funding for AONBs and cover the necessary costs incurred by local authorities in preparing and publishing statutory AONB management plans. This has raised the AONB programme budget to £6.2 million. It is for the Agency to allocate monies to individual AONBs. I am advised by the Agency that currently the national figure is only broken down to a regional level. The Agency is moving to resource accounting this year, so that accurate figures by AONB will be available shortly.

Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what the timetable is for the creation of the first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Conservation Boards under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; [90896]

(2) when the secondary legislation necessary for the establishment of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Conservation Boards for the Chilterns and the Cotswolds will be considered by Parliament. [90851]

Alun Michael

Subject to successful completion of the current preparations, we plan to consult on draft statutory instruments establishing Conservation Boards for the Chilterns and the Cotswolds from March to June this year. I would then expect the orders to be laid (in draft form) before both Houses after Parliament returns from the summer recess. The orders would be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

Mr. Caton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to encourage AONBs to become recognised as biosphere reserves by UNESCO; and what support her Department will provide to successful applicants. [90853]

Mr. Morley

Any area considered for nomination as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve will need to fulfil the specific criteria for that designation. AONBs can be a useful supporting mechanism for a Biosphere Reserve as is the case with the recently extended Biosphere Reserve at Braunton Burrows in Devon. An area designated as AONB will not automatically meet the criteria for Biosphere Reserves. It is for the UK Man and Biosphere (UK MAB) Committee to consider applications for Biosphere Reserve status. The Committee will shortly be considering the next steps following the review of UK Biosphere Reserves. The Government will consider any proposal put forward by the UK MAB Committee on its individual merits for submission to UNESCO.

There is no funding programme specifically for Biosphere Reserves, but Biosphere Reserve status has the potential to provide an area with a framework for attracting relevant funding streams such as LEADER + and stimulating investment. The Government support AONBs generally in England through the AONB programme, which in 2003–04, will receive grants worth more than £6 million. The Countryside Agency, who administers this funding on behalf of Government, pays up to 75 per cent. of an AONBs core costs and 50 per cent. of its project costs.