HC Deb 31 January 2002 vol 379 cc455-6W
11. Mr. Cameron

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to support village shops, pubs and post offices in rural communities. [29547]

Alun Michael

Ensuring that people in rural areas have access to essential services such as village shops, pubs and post offices is a key theme of the Government's Rural White Paper strategy. Since we published the White Paper a year ago we have implemented a range of measures and provided extra funding to boost these basic services to rural communities. The details are provided in "England's Rural Future", which I published in December and placed in the Library of the House.

12. Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support is given by the European Commission to rural communities in disadvantaged areas of the UK. [29548]

Alun Michael

There are many ways in which help support disadvantaged rural communities. Not but the European Not all of them are European funded, Commission finance the following additional match funding from the GovernmentThe England Rural Development Programme which supports schemes to help and encourage farming, forestry and other rural businesses and communities to adapt to changing circumstances and to create a productive and sustainable rural economy. Structural Funds (Objective 1) funding is available in certain areas (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Merseyside and South Yorkshire) to promote similar measures to the ERDP. However, because these areas are defined by the Commission as being of greater need, the rates of grant are slightly higher. Leader+ assists local action groups (which could include farmers, rural villages, rural businesses, local authorities, parish councils and voluntary organisations) in improving the quality of life and economic prosperity in their area through innovative approaches to sustainable rural development.

A more extensive list of sources of funding—both European and domestic—together with advice for rural businesses and communities can be found in Annexe 1 of the Rural White Paper—"Our Countryside: the future, a fair deal for rural England", a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.