asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the occasions in the last two years when drainage grants have been refused in pursuance of his statutory obligation under the Water Act 1973 to have regard to the interests of conservation and amenity; and what criteria he uses when he refuses an application on this ground.

There has been one instance in the last two years in which grant under the Land Drainage Act 1976 has been refused primarily on conservation grounds. Normally my right hon. Friend would have regard to advice from the Nature Conservancy Council in cases of this kind, but on the occasion in question the decision to refuse grant was taken following a public inquiry.