HC Deb 03 December 2001 vol 376 cc101-2W
Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 27 November 2001,Official Report, columns 859–60W, on the rural White Paper, if she will make a statement on clarifying guidance on best and most versatile land. [20151]

Alun Michael

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Planning and Construction on 21 March 2001,Official Report, columns 253–55W. This included an amendment to guidance in Planning Policy Guidance note 7 (PPG7), "The Countryside—Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development", on best and most versatile agricultural land. Decisions about the development or protection of such land are for local planning authorities to take in accordance with that guidance. The guidance is on DTLR's website at www.planning.dtlr.gov.uk/policy.htm.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 27 November 2001,Official Report, columns 859–60W, on the rural White Paper, what proportion has been allocated and which organisations have received funding from the community service grants schemes in 2001–02. [20140]

Alun Michael

The Countryside Agency has allocated £1.5 million for expenditure on Community Service grants for this financial year.

I have today deposited in the Library of the House a list of organisations that have received funding under the scheme.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 27 November 2001,Official Report, columns 859–60W, on the rural White Paper, if she will outline the work done to date on the Countryside Agency's policy-maker's checklist and the extent of consultation during this process. [20155]

Alun Michael

The Policy Makers' Rural Proofing Checklist was published by the Countryside Agency on 24 April 2001. It followed consultation by the Countryside Agency with Government Departments and a number of other interested organisations, including the Local Government Association, the Country Land and Business Association and the Council for Protection of Rural England. The Checklist is available on the Countryside Agency's website at: www.countryside.gov.uk

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 27 November 2001,Official Report, columns 859–60W, on the rural White Paper, how many communities have received support from the parish plans fund in 2001–02; and what amount they have received. [20141]

Alun Michael

To date 243 parish and town councils have registered an interest to produce a plan. 72 have been made a formal offer of grant and 44 parishes have received funding. A list of those parishes has been deposited in the Library of the House today.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew), 27 November 2001,Official Report, columns 859–60W, on the rural White Paper, when the consultation paper on quality parish and town councils will be published. [20152]

Alun Michael

The consultation paper on quality town and parish councils was published on 7 November 2001. Copies of the consultation paper were placed in the Vote Office and I wrote to each Member of Parliament enclosing a copy of the consultation paper.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) of 27 November 2001,Official Report, columns 859–60W, on the rural White Paper, which market towns have received funding from the regeneration programme in 2001–02. [20143]

Alun Michael

Regional development agencies and their partners have agreed 112 towns for inclusion in the market towns initiative and most of these will have received some degree of support in 2001–02 depending on the stage they have reached in the consultation, planning and implementation process. The agreed list of 112 market towns has been deposited in the Library of the House today.