Nature Conservancy Council Act 1973

1 The Nature Conservancy Council. E+W+S

[F1 (1) For the purposes of nature conservation and fostering the understanding thereof, and to replace the committee of the Natural Environment Research Council known as the Nature Conservancy by a body independent of that Council, there shall be established a council to be known as the Nature Conservancy Council (in this Act referred to as “the Council”) which shall have—

(a) the following functions, namely—

(i) the establishment, maintenance and management of nature reserves (within the meaning of section 15 of the National Parks and Access to the M1 Countryside Act 1949) in Great Britain;

(ii) the provision of advice for the Secretary of State or any other Minister on the development and implementation of policies for or affecting nature conservation in Great Britain;

(iii) the provision of advice and dissemination of knowledge about nature conservation; and

(iv) the commissioning or support (whether by financial means or otherwise) of research which in the opinion of the Council is relevant to the matters mentioned in sub-paragraphs (i) to (iii) above; and

(b) the functions previously discharged by the Natural Environment Research Council under the enactments specified in Schedule 1 to this Act, which shall accordingly have effect subject to the amendments set out in that Schedule.]

[F1 (2) In subsection (1) above “nature conservation” means the conservation of flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features.]

(3) The M2 Science and Technology Act 1965 (in this Act referred to as “the 1965 Act”) shall have effect subject to the amendments set out in Schedule 2 to this Act, being amendments consequential on the establishment of the Council.

[F1 (4) The Council shall have power—

(a) to accept any gift or contribution made to them for the purposes of any of their functions, and, subject to the terms of the gift or contribution, to apply it to those purposes,

(b) to initiate and carry out such research directly related to their functions under paragraph (a) of subsection (1) above as it is appropriate that they themselves should carry out instead of commissioning or supporting other persons under sub-paragraph (iv) of that paragraph, and

(c) to do all such other things (including, without prejudice to the generality of this paragraph, making charges and holding land or any interest in or right over land) as are incidental or conducive to the discharge of their functions under subsection (1)(a) above.

(5) It shall be the duty of the Council, in the discharge of their functions, to take account, as appropriate, of actual or possible ecological changes.

(6) The Secretary of State may give the Council directions of a general character with regard to the discharge of any of their functions under subsection (1)(a) above.

(7) The Council shall discharge their functions on and after a day appointed by an order made by statutory instrument by the Secretary of State, and the amendments and repeals made by this Act shall come into operation on that day.

(8) The Council shall have such number of members as the Secretary of State may from time to time determine, and the members shall be appointed by him.]

(9) The administrative and supplementary provisions contained in Schedule 3 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the Council.

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 1(1)(2)(4)–(8), 2, 4 repealed (prosp.) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 162(2)(3), Sch. 16 Pt. VI

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 1.11.1973 appointed under s. 1(7) by S.I. 1973/1721

Marginal Citations

M1 1949 c. 97.

M2 1965 c. 4.

[F2 2 Advisory committees of Council. E+W+S

(1) The Council may appoint committees for the purpose of giving them advice about the discharge of their functions.

(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1) above, it shall be the duty of the Council to appoint three committees for the purpose of giving them advice about the discharge of their functions in England, Scotland and Wales respectively.

(3) Members of committees appointed under this section need not be members of the Council.

(4) No appointment to the committees constituted under subsection (2) above shall be either made or terminated except with the approval of the Secretary of State.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Ss. 1(1)(2)(4)–(8), 2, 4 repealed (prosp.) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 162(2)(3), Sch. 16 Pt. VI

3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3 E+W+S

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 3 repealed and superseded by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), ss. 38, 73, Sch. 17 Pt. I

[F4 4 Grants by Secretary of State to Council. E+W+S

(1) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, make to the Council out of money provided by Parliament grants of such amount as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(2) A grant under this section may be made subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State may with the approval of the Treasury think fit.]

Textual Amendments

F4 Ss. 1(1)(2)(4)–(8), 2, 4 repealed (prosp.) by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 162(2)(3), Sch. 16 Pt. VI

5 Short title, repeals and extent. E+W+S

(1) This Act may be cited as the Nature Conservancy Council Act 1973.

(2) The enactments specified in Schedule 4 to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent mentioned in column 3 of that Schedule.

(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5 this Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Textual Amendments

F5 Words repealed by Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69, SIF 4:5), s. 73, Sch. 17 Pt. II

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 The text of s.5(2), Sch. 1 paras. 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, Sch. 2 and Sch. 4 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.