§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to increase the assistance for rural areas in England, through the Development Commission, to ensure equality on a per capita basis with the rural development programmes for Scotland and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RoeProvision for expenditure by the Development Commission in 1988–89 has been increased by £2.5 million over previous plans in order to allow the Commission to respond to the increased demand for its established programmes, and carry forward the new initiatives which formed part of the Government's rural enterprise package. Because of differences in definitions and in administrative arrangements, it is not possible to make direct comparisons between the assistance per capita given to rural areas in England, Scotland and Wales.