HC Deb 13 May 2002 vol 385 cc441-3W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to include rural areas in the(a) National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal and (b) Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. [55917]

Mr. Byers

The Government's policy is to tackle deprivation wherever it lies. It is not limited to urban areas but is concerned with removing social exclusion wherever it exists.

The National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal is a new long-term initiative designed to address the underlying causes of deprivation. Delivering the National Strategy will require changes to the way key services are delivered in all deprived areas—urban or rural. The Neighbourhood Renewal Fund aims to supplement this by enabling the 88 most deprived authorities to improve the services they provide. At least 16 of these 88 areas contain substantial rural areas.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions his Department has had with the Countryside Agency on the application of rural proofing to the work of his Department. [55918]

Mr. Byers

Both the Minister for Housing, Planning and Regeneration and I have met the chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss a range of rural issues. Officials from my Department have regular contact with their counterparts at the Countryside Agency about rural proofing and other matters.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to increase rural proofing in his Department in line with the Countryside Agency's report, "Rural Proofing in 2001–02". [55919]

Mr. Byers

My Department is taking a number of measures to further enhance its rural proofing activity. Those measures include:

  1. (i) nomination of a ministerial "rural champion": Lord Falconer will assume overall responsibility for the co-ordination of rural issues within the Department;
  2. (ii) the introduction of an integrated policy appraisal tool that guides policy makers towards assessment of the full range of policy impacts, including specifically those on rural areas;
  3. (iii) staff awareness raising activity: a number of actions are envisaged, including articles in internal DTLR journals, presentations to staff on integrated policy appraisal and rural issues, etc.;
  4. (iv) enhanced role for the DTLR official level rural "focal point": the focal point will be taking a more pro-active role in co-ordinating DTLR's activity as it impacts on rural areas, and will liaise regularly with the Countryside Agency.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he has issued to the Strategic Rail Authority on the application of rural proofing to its work. [55920]

Mr. Byers

Paragraph 8.6 of the Directions and Guidance I gave to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on 11 April requires the authority to use their published planning criteria in appraising rail schemes. These criteria requires costs and benefits relating to environment, accessibility, integration, safety and economy to be taken into account, many of which could identify specific rural impacts.

Financial assistance is provided to rural rail services as part of the Rail Passenger Partnership programme (RPP). RPP funding contributes to the provision of new or enhanced local and regional rail services or facilities. Projects cover both urban and rural networks, but have so far included increased services to rural areas, new stations and schemes to improve accessibility.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what account is being taken of rural proofing in the Department's review of the Standard Spending Assessment formula for local authorities. [55922]

Mr. Byers

We are working to develop options for a fairer and more intelligible grant distribution system. Representatives of rural authorities are members of the technical working groups my Department is running. We will consult on options over the summer and will consider the responses, including those on factors that relate to rural areas, when we come to take decisions.