asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what safeguards exist, outside sites of special scientific interest and national parks, to ensure that agricultural grants are not instrumental in assisting the destruction of features of scientific wildlife or scenic interest.

It is a condition of the capital grant schemes that all applicants take into account the conservation and amenity of the countryside. Claimants are required to sign a statutory declaration on the claim form that they have done so. The explanatory leaflets for the schemes tell farmers that they must consider whether the work they have in mind will create problems for conservation and that, if it does so, grant will be at risk. They are advised to consult the Ministry's advisory service (ADAS) if they are in doubt on this score.