HL Deb 19 October 1982 vol 435 c112WA
Lord Chelwood

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) whether they have now set in motion an urgent study of the need for an imaginative and wider-based strategy for rural development, as recommended in the First Report from the House of Commons Agriculture Committee of 23rd July 1982, with particular reference to the integrated development programme for the Western isles as a forerunner of others;
  2. (b) whether they share the Committee's view that £60,000 for environmental protection in the integrated development programme for the Western Isles would be too small a sum for an adequate policy to be implemented and how much they intend to set aside for such measures;
  3. (c) whether they intend to appoint a Minister of State for Rural Affairs as recommended in this report.

Earl Ferrers

The Government's response to the House of Commons Agriculture Committee's First Report will be sent to the Committee in the near future. It would be inappropriate to comment on individual issues raised by the report in advance of the response.