§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Rural Development Commission funding allocations have been for each year since 1988, broken down by Government office region. [35912]
§ Angela EagleApproved grant in aid provision for the Rural Development Commission (RDC) for the years 1988–89 to 1997–98 is set out in the table. The regional allocations made by the RDC cannot be broken down by Government Office region because the RDC's regional structure does not reflect the Government Office regional structure.
£000 Year Approved grant in aid provision 1988–89 30,589 1989–90 31,237 1990–91 27,043 1991–92 16,267 1992–93 11,969 1993–94 21,342 1994–95 31,694 1995–96 38,980 1996–97 39,677 1997–98 40,064
Mr. Michael J. FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of the Rural Development Commission. [37148]
§ Mr. PrescottThe Rural Development Commission and the Countryside Commission are to be merged to form a new body that will play a central role in the Government's policy of developing a sustainable, living, countryside, while recognising the interdependence of urban and rural areas. The new body will pursue an integrated approach to conserving and enhancing the countryside as an essential resource for the benefit of this and future generations and meeting the distinctive needs of rural areas, those who live in, work in or visit them. The Chairman and Board members will be chosen for the contribution they can make to this.
290WThe new organisation represents an initial outcome from the joint DETR/MAFF Comprehensive Spending Review of countryside and rural policy, underway since last summer. Further announcements covering the whole range of issues considered in the review will be made in due course. I am confident that this move towards integration will be welcomed by people and organisations with an interest in rural policy.
The new body will inherit some of its responsibilities from its predecessors, but will also have a fresh mandate. It will:
give advice to Government, local authorities, the new Regional Development Agencies, and others on all matters relating to conservation and the sustainable development of the countryside for the benefit of all who live or work in it, visit or value it;give advice to Government on how to secure a rural dimension to its wider policies; take countrywide initiatives on, and promote the enhancement of, the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside and to encourage people's access to and enjoyment of it;take countrywide initiatives on, and promote a living and sustainable countryside to meet the economic and social needs of people living and working there.The body's national advisory function will continue to be independent, and based on expertise and experience, informed and refined by research, top quality experimentation, local advisory work, programme delivery and pilot schemes. The countrywide initiatives and promotion work will be centred on building local and regional partnerships and delivering real benefits to the countryside and local rural communities, as well as providing for the needs of visitors. The work of the new body will be guided by the principles of sustainable development and the importance of an integrated approach to rural policy, against a background of moves towards an integrated rural policy across the EU.
Both Commissions support the concept of a new, merged organisation and are engaged in some initial analysis of how the particular strengths of each body could be retained and developed following the merger. This provisional work has already identified a number of complementary functions in the two bodies which could be strengthened and streamlined through the merger, including their respective work on: housing and transport in the countryside, farming and dissemination of information.
The new body will work closely with Local Authorities, the rural voluntary sector, the Regional Development Agencies—which are taking over the rural regeneration programmes of the Rural Development Commission—and with Government bodies responsible for historical heritage, agriculture, forestry, nature conservation, recreation, tourism, environmental protection and rural services to produce well thought out, integrated solutions to the problems raised in developing a living countryside. This is important because we recognise that the beauty of the English countryside is only one side of the coin. We must value this great resource and, at the same time, strengthen the rural economy and tackle social exclusion which can be hidden within it.
The able and dedicated staff of both the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission will form the core of the new body, just as those staff transferring to the Regional Development Agencies with 291W the responsibility for the rural regeneration programme will be a valuable asset to those bodies. The current Commissioners—like their predecessors—have wide ranging expertise and I hope that many of them will be prepared to make this available to the new organisation.
Rural England faces challenges of economic and social change and European developments such as reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy and Structural Funds, against the background of increased public demand for the protection of the countryside and wider access to it. I am confident that the new organisation, integrating both Commissions' existing responsibilities but with a refocused remit, will be an effective champion for rural England and the English Countryside.