Memorandum submitted by the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (G 28)
SUMMARY
1. DEFRA, the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs, was created at a time of intense activity
on the control of the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak and consequent
work to help the economy in rural areas. In addition, global negotiations
on climate change and sustainable development (in the run-up to
this year's World Summit on Sustainable Development) were reaching
critical phases. DEFRA faces many challenges in its work with
policy issues that impact on the whole of the economy, the lives
of everyone and whose delivery relies on a wide range of organisations
in and out of government. We are committed to:
— finding resource-efficient ways of
generating wealth and hence reducing pollution and waste;
— helping the farming and fishing industries
through economic transition;
— working with others to deliver services
and create opportunity in rural areas; and
— reducing risks to people from environmental
impacts such as disease, climate change, floods and toxic waste.
2. We have set out our programme for the
next year in Working for the Essentials of Life[1]
this expands on the Department's vision, aim and objectives and
summarises what we will do now, in the form of 106 commitments,
towards achieving our vision in the long term. It also lists over
50 achievements which are set out more fully in the Departmental
Report[2]
which was laid before Parliament on 23rd May 2002. Our aim is
sustainable development, and we are committed to both pursuing
this in our own work[3]
and also promoting it across government, in society generally
and internationally. Similarly, we are promoting rural issues
across government, for example by playing a role in partnership
with HM Treasury on encouraging a rural dimension in the plans
of other departments during the current Spending Review.
3. Steady progress continues to be made
on long-term and difficult issues, such as reform of the Common
Agricultural and Fisheries policies, on seeking agreement at international
level on climate change and preparations for the World Summit
on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg later this year. Domestically,
we have ratified the Kyoto protocol on climate change and are
pursuing a range of measures to help the UK achieve these targets.
We held the first waste summit and are vigorously pursuing a programme
to meet targets for reducing waste and increasing recycling. In
responding to the inquiries established after the 2001 Foot and
Mouth Outbreak we have announced a range of measures to modernise
farming, to reduce the prospects of further damaging outbreaks
of disease and to strengthen the evidence on which policy is made.
4. No one would have expected us to prejudice
continuity of business to effect the merger and change how the
department operates. We managed the range of practical consequences
of the merger as a distinct programme, "Developing DEFRA,"
whilst re-focusing our work and continuing to deliver on important
policy areas. The enormous demands of managing the Foot and Mouth
disease outbreak involved taking staff away from routine duties
to frontline work, for a period well after the creation of the
new Department. For example, a backlog of correspondence occurred
which accentuated a longer-term and serious organisational problem.
This has been resolved, both by deploying staff and effort by
Ministers, so addressing both the short-term backlog and the organisational
weakness. The merger programme has largely met the objectives
set out for it, despite the very real challenges faced in creating
a new organisation with neither a long planning period nor significant
"merger dividends." We have recently been working with
the Prime Minister's Office of Public Service Reform to define
the future of that programme.
THE DEPARTMENT'S
VISION AND
PROGRESS TOWARDS
ACHIEVING IT
What our vision is and how we will use it to define
our work
5. DEFRA's vision[4]
is long-term and aspirational, intended to inspire and explain
to people what we seek to achieve and to set a clear political
direction for the Department. Within a hierarchy of planning,
it is translated into the Departmental aim and 7 objectives[5].
The vision, aim and objectives are enduring. Periodically, in
response to opportunity, resources and normal business planning
processes, the department will set strategic priorities that contribute
to achieving the vision in the medium-term. Working for the Essentials
of Life is an interim statement of our strategic priorities that
we will develop further following the allocation of overall budgets
for DEFRA for 2003-6 at the conclusion of the Government's 2002
Spending Review. The Department uses its objectives as a framework
within which resources can be allocated to work (through business
plans) and for which targets can be set and performance measured.
What we have achieved so far towards our vision
6. The following are some of the highlights
from the last year of positive actions taken by the Department
towards the long-term aspirations within DEFRA's vision. These
are described in more detail in DEFRA's Departmental Report which
was laid before Parliament 23 May 2002.
7. . . . a World in which climate change
and environmental degradation are recognised and addressed by
all nations (relates to DEFRA objective 1)
— The UK played a key role in negotiating
the legal texts for implementation of the Kyoto Protocol on climate
change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent below
1990 levels in 2008-2012 at Marrakech in November 2001. The Protocol
was ratified by the UK at the end of May.
— Part of the World's economy-wide
greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, the UK emissions trading
registry—an on-line auction that allows participating companies
to reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by more than four
million tonnes of carbon dioxide—went live on 2 April 2002,
fulfilling a manifesto commitment.
— In April DEFRA-funded scenarios for
climate change, intended to provide a sound scientific basis for
climate impact assessments, were published. These scenarios show
specific likely impacts up to 2080 and will be used in land use
and economic planning.
— The UK became the first country in
the world to publish a Fuel Poverty Strategy which guarantees
pensioners, the disabled and other vulnerable groups will not
suffer ill health due to a cold home.
8. . . .; where low carbon emissions
and efficient use of resources are at the heart of our whole way
of life (relates to DEFRA objective 6)
— A Performance and Innovation Unit
(PIU) review of waste was launched by Margaret Beckett at the
first waste summit in November 2001, marking the start of a radical
overhaul of the way we deal with waste.
— A consultation paper on the management
of radioactive waste was published to decide how best to manage
nuclear waste over many thousands of years.
— After consultation, bids have now
been invited for distribution of £140m for local authority
waste minimisation and recycling.
— Michael Meacher announced on 19 March
that the Government will extend competition in the water industry
to large users.
9. . . . here in the UK, rural communities
are diverse, economically and environmentally viable, and socially
inclusive with high quality public services and real opportunities
for all (relates to DEFRA objective 2) [6]
— We continue to implement policies
set out in the Rural White Paper, delivering the vision of a living,
working, protected and vibrant countryside. Alun Michael launched
the Rural Affairs Forum, so providing rural interests with direct
access to Ministers and key decision-making officials.
— To remind people that the countryside
is well and truly open for business, the "Your Countryside,
You're Welcome" campaign was launched on 28 January in cooperation
with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the English
Tourism Council and the Countryside Agency as well as nearly 50
other organisations.
— The Countryside Access Recovery Fund
was launched on 5 February by Alun Michael to help not-for-profit
organisations promote access to and understanding of the countryside;
— In a statement to the Commons on
21 March, Alun Michael announced a six month period of consultation
and the drafting of a new Bill to control hunting with hounds.
10. A country where the food, fishing
and farming industries are not dependent on output-related subsidies,
but work closely together and with government to produce safe,
nutritious food which contributes positively to consumer choice
and the health of the whole nation (relates to DEFRA objectives
3 & 5)
— Margaret Beckett and the Prime Minister
announced measures on 26 March to take forward some of the recommendations
of the Policy Commission on Food and Farming, including ways to
help producers improve marketing and become more competitive,
a new food chain centre and work with the Food Standards Agency
and Department of Health on nutrition. Following discussion with
stakeholders at regional and sectoral level and a national contact
group chaired by Lord Whitty we will publish a strategy for sustainable
food and farming in the autumn;
— Reforms to the EU sheepmeat regime
in November 2001 potentially allow us to support more sustainable
stocking;
— The World Trade Organisation meeting
in Doha in November 2001 agreed that negotiations on further global
cuts in agriculture subsidies should conclude in 2005. Critical
negotiations on EU enlargement are being supported by DEFRA officials
providing support to EU candidate countries through twinning;
— Work on an Organic Farming and Food
Action Plan to help farmers respond to the growing demand for
high quality organic food was started by Elliot Morley and will
be launched by July 2002;
— At the December 2001 Fisheries Council
the UK secured an outcome on fisheries quotas which was welcomed
as striking a balance between conservation and incomes, and contributing
to the long-term goal of a reformed and sustainable Common Fisheries
Policy as set out in our position paper to the European Commission
published in September 2001. We welcomed the European Commission's
subsequent reform package, published 28 May, although there remains
important detail yet to be negotiated.
11. A place where we manage the land
in a way which recognises its many functions, from production
through to recreation (relates to DEFRA objectives 1, 3 and 4)
— Elliot Morley has begun a major review
of all agri-environmental schemes which will be the main vehicle
for following up some of the recommendations of the Policy Commission
including developing a "Broad and Shallow Pillar 2"
environmental scheme;
— An extension of arable options within
the Countryside Stewardship Scheme was launched on 11 February
to provide assistance for farmers to create new habitats for wildlife;
— Alun Michael announced 24 successful
partnership bids for the £76 million EU LEADER+ Programme,
which will support small-scale innovative projects to meet locally-identified
rural development needs;
DEFRA announced a 12.8 per cent increase in
resources for National Parks in England for 2002-03.
— Elliot Morley announced £21
million of grant aid for a £28 million coastal defence scheme
in Scarborough, to help protect homes, businesses and parts of
the town's fundamental infrastructure;
— An improved priority scoring system
for funding flood and coastal defence schemes has been introduced
following consultation. The new system takes into account economics,
social issues and environmental protection and enhancement.
12. Where we seek to promote biodiversity
on land and in our seas (relates to DEFRA objective 1)
— Margaret Beckett launched the first
Marine Stewardship Report—Safeguarding Our Seas: A Strategy
for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of our Marine
Environment—which sets out a framework for action to save
the marine environment;
— Funding of £175,000 will go
to the Great Ape Survival Project (GrASP), part of £1 million
paid to global biodiversity conservation programmes by DEFRA;
— Over 200,000 "Souvenir Alert"
leaflets have been distributed since November 2001, as part of
a joint public information campaign with the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF) aimed at tourists who may bring back souvenirs made from
endangered species;
— We published a 10 year review of
Special Protection Areas and established a scientific working
group to monitor future needs;
— DEFRA agreed to pay £17.3 million
for the early surrender of peat cutting consents at three internationally
important wildlife sites. No further commercial cutting will take
place at Thorne Moor and Wedholme Flow, and works will be phased
out over three years at Hatfield Moor.
13. Where animal welfare and protection
against animal disease is at the core of the way in which we farm
and live (relates to DEFRA objective 7)
— DEFRA had successfully eradicated
the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic (last case 30 September
2001) and achieved international recognition of FMD-free status,
although there is no room for complacency.
— Lord Whitty launched an illegal food
imports action plan on 28 March, to reduce risks of exotic animal
and plant disease entering the UK and threatening public health,
livestock, agriculture and horticulture;
— Elliot Morley has issued for consultation
a draft interim Foot and Mouth Disease contingency plan which
sets out the operational response to any future outbreak of the
disease;
— We have gained provisional recognition
by the European Commission for the Cattle Tracing System database
to simplify procedures for cattle passports;
— We have set 1 January 2003 as the
date for a ban on fur farming to come into force, implementing
the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000. In Europe we negotiated
a ban on close confinement sow stalls and agreed a new Council
of Europe declaration on the welfare of turkeys;
— We launched a consultation to harmonise
and simplify laws relating to animal welfare.
14. Through the practice of sustainable
development, economic, environmental and social, we will achieve
our vision (relates to DEFRA's aim)
— Michael Meacher published the second
Government review of progress towards sustainable development
over the country as a whole. This includes latest analysis of
the 15 headline indicators of sustainable development, 10 of which
were showing progress in the right direction;
— DEFRA leads on the development, co-ordination
and presentation of UK policy in preparation for WSSD in Johannesburg.
It is working to raise awareness of the Summit and engage civil
society in preparations. The Prime Minister's five sectoral initiatives—financial
services, water, tourism, forestry and energy—on which the
Government is working closely with business and NGOs form an important
element in preparations;
— DEFRA's own sustainable development
strategy, Foundations for our Future will be published
shortly.
A DEPARTMENT FOCUSED
ON ACHIEVING
ITS OBJECTIVES
15. DEFRA was created on 8 June 2001 as
part of a wider set of changes to the structure of central government.
DEFRA is composed of:
— the Environmental Protection Group
and Wildlife and Countryside Directorates of the former Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions;
— a small number of staff concerned
with animal welfare from the Home Office; and
— all of the former Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food.
16. There are a number of policy areas where,
by bringing together similar work areas, we have been able to
improve policy-making. For example, it is no longer appropriate
to consider farming in isolation from the rest of the food chain,
or from the environment and rural economy. DEFRA retains long-standing
commitments from MAFF to modernise agriculture, ensure its sustainability
and reform the EU Common Agricultural Policy. But in redefining
farming's role in rural England, DEFRA is able to take a broader
perspective, taking into account other rural economic activities
in areas such as services, manufacturing and leisure. DEFRA will
lead delivery of the Government's commitments to all people in
rural England as set out in the Rural White Paper, Our Countryside,
The Future.
17. DEFRA combines major responsibilities
for water, land management, sewerage and flood defence, inland
waterways and protection and management of seas, fisheries and
other marine resources previously dispersed across MAFF and DETR.
It has responsibility for overall policy on waste, including toxic
substances, radioactive materials and animal waste. Where once
there was a division between the key parts of government concerned
with genetically modified crops, DEFRA now has a unified policy
and a single unit on GM issues. Climate change affects the whole
of society but it will have particular impacts on land-based industries
and DEFRA can now consider these issues together. DEFRA combines
a range of responsibilities for animal welfare, previously in
Home Office and MAFF.
18. DEFRA has responsibility for promoting
sustainable development across government, in society and internationally.
This means addressing economic, social and environmental issues
together and delivering tangible improvements in everyone's quality
of life.
— The business sectors DEFRA is concerned
with (such as farming, fisheries, water and waste) protect and
manage key natural resources and make a substantial contribution
to the UK's overall GDP.
— DEFRA leads across government on
environmental protection, particularly of water, air, the global
atmosphere, land and biodiversity; and is sponsor to the main
environment and countryside arms of government, the Environment
Agency, English Nature and the Countryside Agency.
— DEFRA's main objectives for rural
areas are to provide economic prosperity, fairness of opportunity
and access to services for the 25 per cent of England's population
who live in rural areas.
19. DEFRA is currently engaged in a major
upgrade of its science capacity, with an important series of reviews
under way following the appointment of a new Chief Scientific
Adviser, Prof Howard Dalton. Our aim is to strengthen our evidence
base, and to improve our capacity to build forward-looking policy
which is firmly based on scientific and economic analysis. A strong
capacity is essential across the whole range of DEFRA's policies.
Particular priorities include climate change and reducing the
risks of disease. We are developing the evidence base for rural
policy, to ensure that our policies secure sustainable economic
growth and that we can identify and develop policy solutions to
the distinctive needs for social inclusion in rural areas. Major
reviews of both the internal organisation of science in the Department,
and of DEFRA's three science Agencies are in hand. Our new Science
and Innovation Strategy will build on this work, and ensure that
we have an integrated and effective set of arrangements to deliver
our future evidence base.
A structure fit for purpose
20. The Committee asks "whether farming,
food, environmental and conservation concerns, and rural affairs
are each given proper weight". DEFRA has set out its vision,
aim and objectives and these set the scope of our work and long-term
goals. Selecting priorities between these inherently difficult.
Which is more important, a competitive food chain, fair services
to rural people or a protected atmosphere? DEFRA's strategy is
about working towards clear targets for each, equally important
objective. Judgements have to be made reflecting a) importance
of issues in the government's overall programme, b) resource constraints
and c) tactical opportunities. DEFRA increasingly expects to be
judged on the outcomes and outputs we seek and deliver (targets
met, lives affected, etc) and on the efficiency with which we
use our inputs (staff and money allocated). For example, DEFRA's
Sustainable Development Strategy includes 22 measures of performance
allocated across seven themes of DEFRA's work.
21. The committee asks "whether the
Department is engineered to deliver its objectives." In creating
DEFRA, the Government was seeking to add to what had been achieved
by its predecessor departments by capitalising on potential synergies.
In "Working for the Essentials of Life" DEFRA has set
out its future programme, explaining the benefits of a more rounded
approach to key policy areas. Here, we describe the changes that
have taken place within the Department and how we plan to take
these further.
22. The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP was appointed
the first Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
on the creation of DEFRA. Within the Ministerial team[7],
there is clear accountability for our major policy areas with:
— Michael Meacher MP, Minister of State
for the Environment
— Alun Michael MP, Minister of State
for Rural Affairs
— Lord Whitty, Parliamentary Secretary,
Minister for the Food Chain and Waterways
— Elliot Morley MP, Minister for Animal
Health and Welfare, Fisheries, Flood Defence and Forestry
23. At official level, a new management
board structure is in place[8]
which brings in new blood, ensures the structure fits our purpose
and strengthens the leadership of our core professions, specifically:
— three major Directorates General
lead our work on environment protection, rural affairs and the
food chain;
— professional services in science,
animal health and welfare and legal are led from board-level appointments;
— a new Director General for operations
and service delivery gives a focus on customer services and operations'
— three non-executive Directors bring
a sharp external perspective to our work.
24. The new structure has also resulted
in significant changes elsewhere in the organisation including
a reorganisation of the former MAFF functions at regional level.
Other key changes include:
— a new focus on rural affairs, with
a Board-level Director General and a Directorate focusing on economic
and social issues and rural strategy;
— responsibility for protection of
the marine environment, freshwater, floods, sewerage and coasts
has been brought together in DEFRA and these groups work closely
with the Fisheries Directorate on marine issues;
— a new focus on the food chain, with
two major Directorates (one focusing exclusively on livestock,
and the other on all the other food issues) linking primary production,
food industry and consumer issues;
— flood defence has been brought together
with wildlife and land use;
— a new sustainable agriculture strategy
division, merging staff from former DETR, and MAFF environment
and agriculture policy divisions, a new livestock strategy division
and a unified GM policy unit;
— Wildlife management and biodiversity
conservation have been brought together.
25. Structural change can only be one part
of changing how an organisation works. In addition, we are developing
working practices which will enhance our efficiency and focus
on delivery, in particular:
— strengthening leadership at all levels
of the organisation;
— further developing the culture of
basing policy on evidence and making this open to external scrutiny;
— delivering work through cross-sectoral
and cross-disciplinary teams;
— working in partnership with our agencies,
other departments, other levels of government (local and international)
and client organisations;
— managing our relations with a wider
range of stakeholders more actively;
— investing in efficient, customer-focused
and e-business delivery of services to customers (such as the
establishment of the Rural Payments Agency).
Merger and long-term organisation change
26. At its creation the DEFRA Ministerial
and Management teams were faced with a number of immediate and
long-term issues which had to be resolved without their affecting
capacity to cope with normal business. Large numbers of MAFF staff
had been re-allocated to FMD duties in the first months of the
outbreak with knock-on implications for other work. Environment
policy staff and Ministers were committed to handling critically
important negotiations on climate change, sustainable development
and a major review of the Environment Agency. Immediately following
the merger a range of practical issues had to be addressed, particularly:
— development of a vision, aim and
objectives to reflect the role of DEFRA and a set of shared values
and common working practices;
— assimilation of staff from a range
of departments into a single department; and
— creation of common systems of financial
and staff management, terms and conditions (especially pay) for
staff, IT provision and communications services.
27. DEFRA's Management Board quickly created
and drove forward a "Developing DEFRA" programme to
project manage the 12 strands of the complex merger. Working to
a clear set of priorities that have been reviewed by the Management
Board on a quarterly basis, this programme in now largely complete.
Unlike a "normal" business merger the transfer of policy
and agency staff from former DETR led to few large-scale savings
in resources. Central services such as IT, HR, Communications
and legal services based around the former MAFF services had to
provide both enhanced amounts of service and, in some cases introduce
wholly new systems. A difficult merger has now largely been completed.
28. Within days of the creation of DEFRA,
Margaret Beckett started an open dialogue with staff and stakeholders
on the purpose and direction of DEFRA. This culminated in an agreed
vision, aim, objectives and subsequently a planning framework
for DEFRA which set out a long-term, ambitious and high-level
direction firmly anchored around sustainable development. This
was followed in March 2002 by Working for the Essentials of
Life which included 106 commitments by DEFRA over the next
year.
29. However, the principles outlined at
a high level in the first year now need to be translated into
specific commitments and targets, clear outcome measures and long-term
programmes that will make a tangible contribution to meeting our
objectives. Immediate priorities for future investment and development
are:
— working towards challenging waste
reduction and recycling targets for business and communities following
on from the Performance and Innovation Unit's report;
— finding ways of generating economic
growth while both minimising waste and pollution, especially through
low carbon fuel technologies which underpin the government's commitments
to protect the global atmosphere;
— strengthening the Government's overall
approach to rural policy;
— charting a course for the continued
modernisation of farming, especially building on recommendations
of the Policy Commission on Food and Farming;
— ensuring that a comprehensive strategy
for animal health, based on the best scientific evidence and proper
contingency procedures, is in place to prevent and handle major
outbreaks of animal disease.
30. DEFRA has been working with the Prime
Minister's Office of Public Service Reform (OPSR) in a joint review
which is shifting the emphasis on DEFRA's change programme to
one that will:
— strengthen long term planning, allocate
resources and improve and measure the performance of managers;
— focus policy-making and service delivery
on clearly-defined outcomes and better services to customers;
— strengthen the skills and performance
of staff, especially through improved working practices; and
— improve the fit between corporate
services such as IT, finance and human resources and DEFRA's business
needs.
IMPACTS ON
THE ROLE
AND INFLUENCE
OF ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION GROUP
AND WILDLIFE
AND COUNTRYSIDE
DIRECTORATE OF
FORMER DETR
31. The impact of the transfer from DETR
on the role and influence of the Environmental Protection Group
and Wildlife and Countryside Directorate has been positive. Sustainable
development has been established as the Department's headline
aim and unifying theme, with a Departmental sustainable development
strategy to be issued shortly and DEFRA Ministers and officials
ensuring that the UK continues to play a major role internationally
in preparations for the World Summit this summer.
32. In terms of environment protection,
DEFRA Ministers and officials have maintained the UK's leading
role in international negotiations at Marrakech, Doha and elsewhere.
Domestically, initiatives such as the Waste Summit, greenhouse
gas emissions trading, and the (world first) Fuel Poverty Strategy
demonstrate that the role and influence of the Environmental Protection
Directorate General remains as strong as ever. The Government's
strategy for marine conservation and its forthcoming England Biodiversity
Strategy illustrate that wildlife conservation work has continued
to develop. Strong synergies between DEFRA's rural environment
responsibilities and the wider rural economy are illustrated by
the continued prominent role DEFRA's agencies, the Countryside
Agency and English Nature, play in these issues.
33. Across government, DEFRA works closely
with other departments in promoting sustainable development, such
as DTI on energy, construction, trade and resource productivity,
FCO and DFID on trade and international dimensions of sustainable
development. Effective influence over issues such as planning
and transport which are now the responsibility of Department of
Transport (formerly DTLR), has been maintained by the establishment
of a concordat between the two Departments, which we hope will
be retained in the new Department created 29 May.
RURAL OBJECTIVES
AND PROMOTING
THESE ACROSS
WHITEHALL
34. The inclusion of Rural Affairs in DEFRA's
title shows the importance that the Government attaches to rural
England and its people. DEFRA's objectives specific to rural areas
are:
— to enhance opportunity and tackle
social exclusion through promoting sustainable rural areas with
a dynamic and inclusive economy, strong rural communities and
fair access to services and
— to improve enjoyment of an attractive
and well-managed countryside for all.
In the Rural White Paper[9]
the Government committed to "ensure that our policies take
account of specific rural needs." 260 commitments were contained
in the White Paper and nearly 100 have already been delivered
(see below for key examples). The Department is working hard with
other Government departments and agencies to deliver the outstanding
commitments. Fundamental to the achievement of the Government's
objectives for rural areas is partnership—across central
government, with tiers of local and regional government and also
with private sector, business and not-for-profit bodies and community
groups. DEFRA can only play its part in partnership with others
and for this reason on of Alun Michael's first actions was to
create the Rural Affairs Forum. This has learned from the Rural
Task Force established during the FMD outbreak) and bodies set
up to advise predecessor departments. It is an effective forum
which gives a wide range of interest groups, practitioners and
people who live in rural England the chance to air problems and
solutions with senior officials and Ministers.
35. The natural assets of Rural England
represent significant economic and recreational benefits to the
country as a whole. However, these same assets present significant
challenges and some inherent disadvantages. For example:
— An economic trauma affecting the
productivity of land will often have serious knock-on effects
for the wider rural economy.
— The physical beauty of the countryside
attracts millions of visitors. Providing an adequate infrastructure
for these visitors requires care to be taken so that the very
environment which they come to enjoy is not damaged.
— The distance between rural communities
and the towns and cities in which major services are concentrated
leads to poorer service provision.
36. The Government's commitment to rural
England through DEFRA is to enhance opportunity, and to tackle
social exclusion in promoting sustainable rural areas which have
a dynamic and inclusive economy, strong communities and fair access
to services. It aims also to bring about improved management of
the countryside. Many of the necessary levers of change are controlled
by other Departments and agencies, requiring DEFRA to work closely
with a wide network to achieve objectives. Margaret Beckett chairs
the Ministerial sub-Committee on Rural Renewal where Secretaries
of State for the key departments which affect the lives of people
in rural areas report on their rural policies. In addition, DEFRA
has been working with the Treasury to "proof" for rural
relevance a range of measures submitted by other Departments in
their spending programmes for 2003-6. DEFRA Rural interests are
represented by rural directors within the Government Offices who
work closely with other Government Office staff, Regional Development
Agencies and local authorities. In addition to programmes undertaken
by DEFRA itself (many of which are listed in England's Rural
Future[10])
key achievements since June 2001 include:
— The former DTLR announced an extension
in mandatory 50 per cent rate relief to include all village food
shops (with rateable values £6,000 or less);
— The Post Office and DTI introduced
a £2 million fund to help community-led projects to relocate
and refurbish rural post offices;
— The Sure Start Unit in DfES established
a £22 million fund to support small Sure Start programmes
in rural areas and small pockets of deprivation;
— The Housing Corporation and former
DTLR approved 1,341 homes in small rural settlements (of less
than 3,000 people) in 2001-02—exceeding its target of 1,100;
target for 2002-03 is 1,300; on course to double approvals from
800 in 2000-01 to 1,600 in 2003-04;
— The former DTLR published a consultation
paper on whether to give local authorities discretion to charge
the full rate of council tax on second homes and whether the additional
revenues should be retained locally;
— The DTI announced 20 winning projects
for the £3 million Development Fund for Rural Renewal, part
of the Phoenix Fund, which will help businesses affected by the
Foot and Mouth outbreak;
— DEFRA and the former DTLR published
a consultation paper on proposals for "Quality" Parish
and Town Councils, giving them an enhanced role for their communities;
— The former DTLR has developed specific
rural targets for Local Public Service Agreements by a number
of local authorities;
— Regional Development Agencies have
provided £80 million Business Recovery Fund for small rural
businesses hit by foot and mouth disease restrictions.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
37. DEFRA has made a good start. It is an
important department at the heart of the Government's programme.
We have established a long-term vision and have made significant
progress towards achieving it. However, we are not complacent
and have already begun a major change programme, building on a
successfully completed merger, to strengthen the organisation's
capacity to continue to deliver our policies and services.
16 June 2002.
1 Working for the Essentials of Life is available at
www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/prospectus/index.htm. Back
2
DEFRA's Departmental Report 2002 is available at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/deprep/default.htm. Back
3
We will publish our own sustainable development strategy, Foundations
for our Future, in June 2002. Back
4
Available on www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/aims/vision.htm. Back
5
Available on www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/aims/aim.htm. Back
6
More examples of rural policy achievements across Government are
cited in paragraph 35. Back
7
Further details of Ministerial portfolios can be found on www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/index.asp. Back
8
See DEFRA press notice October 2001, "New Management Board
at DEFRA". Back
9
"Our Countryside: The Future", published in November
2000. Back
10
England's Rural Future set out how the Government would
respond to difficulties experienced by the countryside and was
published by DEFRA in December 2001. Back
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