7 Grants and loans.

1

In accordance with arrangements approved by the Secretary of State and the Treasury, the Commission shall have power to make grants, loans (or both) to any person, including a public body, in respect of expenditure incurred by him in doing anything which in the opinion of the Commission is conducive to the attainment of any of the purposes of this Act.

2

Grants or loans made in terms of subsection (1) above to local authorities shall be made only in respect of expenditure incurred by those authorities in relation to the countryside in or in connection with —

a

the exercise of their powers under this Act;

b

the exercise of their powers under section 24 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 (which relates to the provision of caravan sites by local authorities);

c

the exercise of their powers under section 2 (except subsection (1)(b) of the Local Government (Development and Finance) (Scotland) Act 1964 (which empowers local authorities to develop land in certain circumstances);

d

the payment of compensation under section 159, or by virtue of section 163, of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972 (which respectively relate to compensation in respect of the control of the use of land and to tree preservation orders);

e

the exercise of their powers of acquring land, whether by agreement or compulsorily, under or by virtue of any of the enactments referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this subsection.

3

On making a grant or a loan under this section the Commission may impose conditions including (in the case of a grant) conditions for repayment in specified circumstances.

4

The exercise of the Commission’s power under this section shall be subject to any directions given to them by the Secretary of State.