§ Lord Beaumont of Whitleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will hold a public consultation before announcing any restructuring of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which would affect the countryside agencies. [HL555]
§ Baroness HaymanIt was announced on 3 December that the Government were accelerating that part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review which was considering the institutional arrangements for delivering rural policy. The Rural Development Commission, the Countryside Commission, English Nature and the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency are being consulted about this work. Terms of reference for the Comprehensive Spending Review of rural and countryside policy were published on 24 July 1997, with comments invited. We shall be considering, in the light of the outcome of the specific work on institutions, whether any wider consultation would be appropriate.