§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the 2001 report of the Countryside Agency on the quality of parish councils; if she will estimate how many parish councils were classed as(a) sleeping and (b) barely active; and if she will make a statement. [30561]
§ Alun MichaelThe Countryside Agency has not produced a report on the quality of parish councils, but it has undertaken to produce an indicator of community vibrancy. I refer the hon. Member to answers given on 24 January 2002 to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew),Official Report, columns 1033–34W, for information on this issue.