§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has for the future role of the Rural Development Commission in respect of rural poverty. [12107]
(2) what measures the Government are taking to combat rural poverty; [12108]
§ Angela EagleThe Government recognise the special needs of people who live and work in rural areas and of the need to tackle poverty. My Department is responsible for the Rural Development Commission which operates a number of economic and community support programmes, designed to promote regeneration and tackle disadvantage in the countryside. We have been discussing with the Commission its draft 1997 corporate plan which sets out the Commission's future expenditure proposals. The Commission expects to publish its plan later this summer.
We are currently considering how the proposed new regional development agencies might promote economic regeneration in rural areas. We are in the process of consulting interested parties in the regions to hear what they have to say about our proposals.
A number of programmes in my Department and others may impact on rural poverty. The policies and programmes of my Department are being reviewed as part of the comprehensive spending review, in order to consider how far we are meeting the aims of enhancing opportunity, fairness and sustainable development, while promoting employment and investment for sound economic growth.