§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department will establish rural targets and monitoring as part of overall rural proofing measures as set out in the Countryside Agency's report, Rural Proofing in 2001–02. [54412]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithThe Treasury has a secondee from the Countryside Agency to advise on the Treasury's role in rural policy and to inform Treasury evaluation of how best to deliver Government objectives for rural areas through the spending review. These objectives and associated targets are set out in the White Paper "Our countryside: the future".
§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department will have rural proofing embedded in policy-making procedures as set out in the Countryside Agency's report, Rural Proofing in 2001–02. [54433]
§ Mr. Andrew SmithThe Treasury is rural proofing policy. It has employed a secondee from the Countryside Agency to work across the Department on the Treasury's role in rural policy as one of a number of cross cutting issues that include sustainability. The result has set the basis for examining the rural dimension of spending review 2002 and for informing future policy development. The Treasury is currently evaluating what further steps are necessary to consolidate this work and to set a framework for the Department to take it forward from 2003 on.