HC Deb 04 May 2004 vol 420 cc1382-4W
Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the change in her Department's grant-in-aid budget to the Countryside Agency. [168802]

Alun Michael

In 2004–05 the Countryside Agency has a grant-in-aid budget of £95 million. In addition to the baseline of £90.5 million, £2.5 million is available for work specifically on modernising rural delivery, following the recommendations of the Rural Delivery Review led by Lord Haskins. A further £2.0 million is available for work under a new access management scheme, which will help local authorities to implement measures to make the most of new rights of access to the countryside.

The total for 2004–05 compares with a growth from £49.0 million in 1999–2000, £52.6 million in 2000–01, £90.8 million in 2001–02, £98.7 million in 2002–03 and a planned £100.0 million in 2003–04.

In addition the Countryside Agency receives resources from the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund and funding from the National Lottery and others which amounts to some further £15 million.

Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the change in her Department's grant-in-aid budget to the Countryside Agency on the(a) Agency and (b) Vital Villages Campaign. [168803]

Alun Michael

The main part of the Countryside Agency's budget for 2004–05 will be directed towards its strategic priorities, which include demonstrating ways of boosting essential rural services, building thriving communities, managing the countryside in a sustainable way and improving recreation and access in the countryside. The grant-in-aid budget for 2004–05 compares with a growth from £49.0 million in 1999–2000, £52.6 million in 2000–01, £90.8 million in 2001–02, £98.7 million in 2002–03 and a planned £100.0 million in 2003–04. The Agency will be able to continue to make a substantial contribution towards Defra's work for sustainable development in rural areas and deliver on key objectives includingsupporting Rural Transport Partnership officers funding the second and third years of existing Rural Transport projects supporting Rural Housing Enablers to secure affordable homes continuing the core funding for rural community councils and supporting the community development workers helping all rural communities benefit from funds committed to communities through the Vital Villages grant schemes maintaining total Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty funding at 2003–04 levels.

Some £14.2 million will be spent in 2004–05 in supporting the Vital Villages programme, although the Countryside Agency has announced the closure of the grant schemes to new applicants. The Agency is targeting its resources on meeting all existing grant commitments under the programme and helping communities benefit from the funds already committed to them. It will also work to share the lessons learnt with regional and local delivery bodies.

Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who will now fund projects previously funded by the Vital Villages Campaign. [168804]

Alun Michael

Although the Countryside Agency has announced the closure of the grant schemes to new applicants, the Agency will meet all existing grant commitments under the Vital Villages programme which was established as a three-year pilot programme to test out new approaches to rural areas. Work is under way on how we can share the lessons learnt from the programme with regional and local delivery bodies to target support for rural communities that need help through mainstream programmes.