Chapter 1: New Financial Assistance Powers Section 2: Financial assistance: forms, conditions, delegation and publication of Information
Subsection (1) provides that financial assistance may be given in any form. The form may depend on any number of factors, including the framework for giving assistance and the purpose for which it is provided. The examples included in the subsection are grants, loans and guarantees but financial assistance may be given in any other form. This enables the flexibility to make one-off payments for assistance such as a loan for capital items or ongoing payments as part of a longer-term agreement such as grants for the delivery of environmental benefits or other public goods.
	Subsection (2) allows the Secretary of State to attach conditions to which the financial assistance will be subject.
	Subsection (3) clarifies that a condition of receipt of financial assistance may include provision under which it is to be recovered.
	Subsection (4) confers power on the Secretary of State to give financial assistance to another person or organisation who has designed or operates a scheme that provides financial assistance for one of the purposes specified in Section 1. Financial assistance may support both expenditure incurred by a third party in establishing and operating a scheme, as well as funding provided through that scheme. For example, this would enable the Secretary of State to fund local partnerships or other organisations or bodies (such as National Parks) to deliver a project that supports public access to and enjoyment of the countryside, farmland or woodland.
	Subsection (5) provides a definition for "third party scheme" in subsection (4). This definition clarifies that a third party scheme is one that is made and operated by a third party (not the Secretary of State) and that funding for such a third party scheme must be used to support the delivery of one or more of the purposes described in section 1(1) and 1(2).
	Subsections (6) and (7) enable the Secretary of State to delegate functions in relation to giving financial assistance including giving guidance or exercising a discretion.
	Subsection (8) allows the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring the publication of information about payments under section 1. Subsection (9) provides that such information may include information about the recipient of financial assistance, the amount of financial assistance received and the purpose for which the financial assistance was given.
	Subsection (10) specifies that regulations made under this section are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.
	Subsection (11) provides a definition for "specified" as used in this section.