To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements will be made arising from the proposed reorganisation of the Nature Conservancy Council to co-ordinate applications for nature conservation grants for projects with a Great Britain interest or which relate to more than one country; and whether the Joint Nature Conservation Committee will take a co-ordinating role.

The Government has already made it clear that the new agencies should agree efficient procedures for dealing with applications for nature conservation grants which cover more than one agency's interests, in order to prevent duplication of funding and to avoid unnecessary work for applicants. Grants are an executive function for the country agencies themselves and there is no need for any statutory or other formal provision for involvement by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.