§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with the European Commission regarding changing rural development regulations to allow(a) member states and (b) regions within them, to vary the application of voluntary 1284W modulation; and what analysis her Department has carried out to ascertain the impact of regionalisation of modulation. [59704]
§ Mr. MorleyDiscussions have taken place between my Department and the European Commission in preparation for the Mid-term Review of CAP. They have included possible changes to the Rural Development Regulation and horizontal measures legislation in relation to modulation and the potential for different rates of modulation in different areas. We will consider carefully the impact of possible different rates of modulation together with other potential changes to the legislation. We will, of course, consult stakeholders on any new options that emerge from the MTR before taking any decisions on implementation.