12. Mr. Anthony D. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to work with the voluntary sector and to encourage volunteering. [20567]
§ Margaret BeckettThe impact of foot and mouth disease showed the need for a healthy rural voluntary sector, and the creation of the new Department, with an explicit focus on rural affairs for the first time, enables us to enhance the Government's capacity to work with the voluntary sector in rural affairs.
I am holding a series of meetings with rural voluntary and community bodies to discuss their contribution to the well-being of rural communities and this work is being developed by officials in the new Rural Affairs Directorate.