§ Lord Palmerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the role of the Countryside Agency as distinct from other government agencies; and [HL3359]
How much it costs annually to fund the Countryside Agency. [HL3360]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty)The Countryside Agency is the Government's principal adviser on rural areas in England. It works to conserve and enhance the countryside; to promote social equity for the people who live there and to help everyone, wherever they live, to enjoy this national asset. In 2000–01 the agency will receive a grant-in-aid from my department of £55.3 million. This is an increase of over £6 million compared with last year, reflecting our wish that the agency should increase its spend on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, access to the countryside and a number of other initiatives.