Lembit ÄpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her policy relating to supporting a sustainable agricultural economy. [4641]
§ Mr. MorleySustainable rural development is one of the key objectives of my new Department. We will be preparing a sustainable development strategy that will look both at the promotion of sustainable food chains within the United Kingdom and promoting sustainability within the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. This will involve the transfer of resources from market support measures—so-called first pillar policies—to the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy as the key mechanism for delivering environmental, economic and social policy goals in rural areas and for facilitating restructuring of the agricultural industry.
We have already said that we will be setting up an Independent Commission to advise on how we can assist the development of a sustainable, competitive and diverse farming and food sector within a thriving rural economy which advances environmental health and animal welfare goals. An announcement on this will be made shortly.