§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the level of Government funding for voluntary bodies dealing with stress among people living in rural areas was in each of the last three years and in the current year; and what plans he has to increase this level of support in the next year. [120578]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThe Department of Health has provided funding totalling £90,000 for the Rural Stress Information Network (RSIN) and a further £118,860 for a 'Rural Minds' project between 1997–98 and this year. An official from my Department has been seconded to the RSIN for the last two years.
We will extend the RSIN secondment for at least a further year. In addition, we will provide £0.5 million this year to support organisations which help alleviate rural stress.