§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to introduce the concept of Rural Ministers in different Government Departments. [14529]
§ Alun MichaelThe Government consider it important that all Ministers in Home Departments are alert to the implications of their policies and programmes for people living in rural areas rather than introducing such a specific designation. The Department and I, assisted by the Countryside Agency, ensure that all major policies are assessed for their rural impact through the "rural-proofing" process described in "Our Countryside: the future" (Cmnd 4909). The Cabinet Sub-committee on Rural Renewal, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, and on which relevant Departments are represented, will oversee the effectiveness of the "rural-proofing" process.