HL Deb 05 December 2002 vol 641 cc131-2WA
Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Centre for Management and Policy Services has built rural proofing into policy-making courses for civil servants; if not, what progress has been made; and when it will be complete. [HL3141

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston

The Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS)has indeed built rural proofing into its policy-making courses for civil servants. The interests of people in rural areas feature in every session on identifying stakeholders and such sessions are integral to general policy-making courses. More specific examples include: after discussion with the Countryside Agency, a case study in rural transport issues has been built into the key policy-making course for fast-stream trainees, The Management of Policy Work, and will also feature in a new course for 2003–04, Developing Deliverable Policy; and a three-day partnership programme in May 2003 for senior civil servants and their equivalents in the public and not-for-profit sectors will be built around a case study of rural regeneration and land use in North Dorset.

CMPS is also looking at further initiatives, such as the participation of officials from Defra or the Countryside Agency in policy-making courses and senior programmes.

CMPS will continue to seek further opportunities to incorporate rural proofing into its courses and programmes.