(Readers should bear in mind that this is a Blair Government Press release prior to a general election.  Pinches of salt are very useful on these occasions.  All financial statements and achieved or proposed targets and intentions until proven otherwise should be treated with a health warning)

DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

21 July 2004

A MODERN RADICAL AGENDA FOR RURAL ENGLAND - GOVERNMENT'S RURAL STRATEGY 2004

A radical agenda designed to deliver genuinely sustainable reforms through an ambitious and targeted set of policy priorities for rural communities and the countryside was presented to Parliament today by Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Mrs Beckett was launching the Government's Rural Strategy 2004, which builds on the review of rural delivery, commissioned by Defra and published by Lord Haskins last November. It follows the Government's review, published in January, of the good progress towards delivering the Rural White Paper 2000 - with 74 per cent of the commitments already fulfilled, and most of the remaining commitments on track to be delivered.

The Rural Strategy sets out three key priorities:

* social and economic regeneration - supporting enterprise across rural England , but targeting greater resources at areas of greatest need;

* social justice for all - tackling social exclusion wherever it occurs and providing fair access to services and opportunities for all rural people; and

* enhancing the value of the countryside - protecting the natural environment for this and future generations.

On economic and social regeneration, Mrs Beckett announced an increase of £27 million in the funding Defra provides to the Regional Development Authorities (RDAs), from £45 million to £72 million next year.

"I will devolve decision-making and funding for economic regeneration to the RDAs to allow decisions to reflect better the needs and pressures in each region," she said.

This would involve joined-up partnership working closer to the front-line with the most appropriate local organisations - local authorities, voluntary groups or social enterprises. Mrs Beckett added:

"I shall not impose a single structural form - I want to encourage maximum simplification and streamlining, so that regional delivery partners are set free to focus on doing, not talking."

On social justice for all, Mrs Beckett said:

"The Government's policy is to tackle rural exclusion wherever it occurs and achieve fair access to services.   I will create a small and well-focussed New Countryside Agency by next April to act as an expert 'watchdog' and advocate on behalf of rural communities, particularly the disadvantaged."

On protecting and enhancing the value and beauty of our countryside, the Secretary of State reminded MPs that the quality of England 's landscape and its biodiversity depends on how it is managed by farmers and others and underlined the importance of bringing nature and people together to encourage a more integrated approach to land management.

"I am establishing an Integrated Agency to deliver our policy objective of a healthy countryside valued and used in a sustainable way.  The new Agency  (another QUANGO?) will be a powerful, independent statutory Non Departmental Public Body, building on the world-class strengths of English Nature, the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service. Its remit will be the integrated management of our natural heritage that the challenges and the environmental threats of the 21st century demand."

Notes

Background

1. The Government set out a vision of a living, working, protected and vibrant countryside in the Rural White Paper, published in November 2000.  Following the creation of Defra in June 2001, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Margaret Beckett, commissioned a number of actions to improve the focus and delivery of rural policy:

- a review of the Rural White Paper;

- steps to improve the rural evidence base; and

- an independent review of rural delivery carried out by Lord Haskins.

2. Considerable progress has been made with this work.  The Government published a full review of the Rural White Paper in January 2004, alongside a report on Social and Economic Change and Diversity in Rural England - part of our ongoing research programme to develop the evidence base for rural policy.

3. Lord Haskins completed his review of delivery in rural areas in 2003 and published his report Rural Delivery Review in November 2003. The Secretary of State gave the Government's response in her speech of 11 November 2003 . Mrs Beckett agreed with Lord Haskins' analysis of Defra's delivery structures as too confusing for customers, and too bureaucratic and centralised to meet future challenges.  She accepted the thrust of his recommendations and set up the Modernising Rural Delivery Change Programme, including a full Review of Rural Funding Schemes to provide a clearer and simpler framework for applicants and to achieve a reduction in bureaucratic procedures.

4. In January 2004 the review of the Rural White Paper was published.

It showed that of 261 commitments:

* 193 (74%) had been achieved;

* 48 (19%) were on target;

* 11 (4%) had been overtaken;

* 9 (3%) had been given revised target dates.

Visit the Defra website www.defra.gov.uk/rural/default.htm for detailed information and copies of these documents

Rural Strategy 2004

5. The Rural Strategy 2004 takes as its starting point the vision of sustainable development for rural areas set out in the 2000 Rural White Paper, which remains the Government's vision.  It is based on targeting greatest need, working in partnership at national, regional and local level and, above all, putting rural customers first. 

6. Defra is also building on the rural evidence base through its revitalised rural research programme - which includes setting up a new Rural Evidence Research Centre.  The Rural Strategy 2004 is informed by new research showing the changing nature of rural communities.  Detailed analyses of these trends, as well as the development of a new and more sophisticated definition of what constitutes 'rural', will make pinpointing those in greatest need easier.

What we are doing

7. We will dramatically streamline funding schemes, from the current 100 separate schemes down to a simple framework of 3 main funding programmes, targeting: rural regeneration of communities and businesses; a competitive farming and food industry; and sustainable land management. As part of this work, we will sweep away the rules that surround each of the current 100 schemes

8. With the Regional Development Agencies, we will improve the service that Business Links provides to small rural businesses. This year we are putting an extra £2Million into Business Links for rural areas.

9. Devolve, by April 2005, decision-making to regions and funding for economic and social regeneration (rural regeneration) to Regional Development Agencies.  Regions have a better perspective and understanding than central Government of where action needs to be taken to tackle economic and social disadvantage, and how best to improve productivity.   Devolution will also mean that urban and rural solutions will be looked at together. 

10. In parallel, we will be increasing the amount of funding that we provide to RDAs for economic and social regeneration. We will increase the amount provided to the Single Pot from £45M this year to £72M next year. 

11. We also propose, from 2007, to give the RDAs control over the economic and social funding from the England Rural Development Programme.

12. Create a New Countryside Agency by April 2005:

  * A new and distinctive body, created as a strong voice for rural people and communities, especially those suffering disadvantage, to suggest innovative solutions to their needs and monitor and report on progress in delivery. It will provide strong and impartial advice to Government.

* The Chair of the New Countryside Agency will be the Rural Advocate.

13. Create a new Integrated Agency

* A new large, powerful and independent statutory public body for protecting and enhancing the natural environment, biodiversity and landscape while realising the benefits for people, through improving access and recreation, for enjoyment, health, and general quality of life for us and for future generations.

* It will bring together English Nature, parts of the Countryside Agency and most of the Rural Development Service.

* The environmental functions carried out by the Rural Development Service will transfer to the Integrated Agency.  In the main, these constitute the delivery of the agri-environment schemes of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP).

  14. The establishment of the Integrated Agency will require primary legislation, but in the meantime the three organisations will work very closely together in a confederation of partners, to a common vision and purpose. We plan to introduce legislation next year, and will publish a draft bill as an early step.

15. The new Integrated Agency and the New Countryside Agency will operate within an overarching sustainable development remit.

16. Further actions will include:

* opening up access to mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land region-by-region, between September 2004 and the end of 2005;

* encouraging owners to dedicate other land for public access, including the dedication of the Forestry Commission freehold estate;

* integrating rights of way improvement plans into local transport plans in 2005; and

* Promoting, through the Countryside Agency and then within the new integrated agency, the new Countryside Code, to make people more confident about how to behave in the countryside and themselves become guardians of the natural heritage.

What is not affected

17. Other than the need to work closely with the new Integrated Agency there are no implications for the Rural Payments Agency, the Environment Agency or for the delivery functions of the Forestry Commission. The Rural Payments Agency pays subsidies to farmers and will continue to do so under the CAP reform announced by the Secretary of State on 26 June 2003 (CAP Pillar 1)  - in future the Single Payment.

Further information

18. Fact sheets on

1. Rural Strategy

2. Sustainable Development

3. New Countryside Agency

4. Integrated Agency in England

5. Regional Prioritisation

6. A Strong Rural Voice - Listened to by Government

7. Streamlining Rural Funding & Better Advice

8. Biodiversity and Natural Resource Protection

9. Countryside Recreation and Use

10. What it means for Defra family members

11. Rural Development Service

12. Local Delivery Pathfinder joint venture

together with the Rural Strategy and the Review of Funding Streams report will be available on our website www.defra.gov.uk/rural/default.htm

(26/7/04)