§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice or guidance his Department has published to local authorities and other agencies with a view to promoting and maintaining employment in farms and related areas of agriculture, situated in the green belt.
§ Mr. BaldryIt is our policy to encourage the rural economy to prosper and expand. This policy is set out in full in planning policy guidance note 7. While green belts have a special status where there is a presumption against "inappropriate" development, agriculture would not come into that category—see paragraph 13 of planning policy guidance note 2.