HC Deb 21 December 2000 vol 360 c325W
8. Mr. Bradshaw

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to increase the proportion of common agricultural policy expenditure by him devoted to rural development. [142344]

Mr. Nick Brown

The Government are committed to further enhancing rural development measures: the "second pillar" of the CAP. We announced this commitment on 7 December 1999 with the seven-year, £1.6 billion, England rural development programme. We estimate that, by 2005–06, spending on rural development will have risen to 15 per cent. of total CAP expenditure in the UK. At Community level, we will continue to press for a greater share of EU funding from the second pillar.