Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Fifth Report

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Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 16 March 2005.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Report

Summary

1 Introduction

Aims of the Inquiry

The draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

Background

Background to changes proposed in the Strategy

Lord Haskins's Rural Delivery Review

Government's Rural Strategy 2004

2 Reactions to the Rural Strategy

3 Incorporation of Lord Haskins's recommendations into the Government's Rural Strategy

Countryside Agency

Forestry Commission

4 New Integrated Agency

Balancing priorities

Sustainable development remit

Environmental remit

Relationship between the Integrated Agency and the Environment Agency

Independence

Resources

5 The successor body to the Countryside Agency

Establishment

Role

Resources

Rural proofing and the role of the Rural Advocate

Definition of 'rural'

6 Role of RDAs, Government Offices and local authorities

General trend of devolving the delivery of rural policies

Increased responsibilities for RDAs

Do the RDAs have too much of an urban focus?

Role of Government Offices

Responsibilities of local authorities

The local delivery pathfinders

Regulatory role for local authorities

Planning issues

7 Streamlining of funding schemes

8 IT strategy

9 Costs of making the changes

Costs and savings

Value for money

10 Timing issues

11 General conclusion on the Strategy

12 The draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

Background to the draft Bill

Scope of our pre-legislative scrutiny

Part 1, Chapter 1: the Integrated Agency

Clause 2: purposes

Clause 10: the Integrated Agency and Regional Spatial Strategies

Clauses 15 and 16 and Schedule 1: independence of the Integrated Agency

Part 1, Chapter 2: the Commission for Rural Communities

Clause 18: purposes

Clauses 19 and 25 and Schedule 2: independence, influence and 'rural proofing'

Part 3: flexible delivery arrangements

Chapter 1: agreements with designated and non-designated bodies

Chapter 2: agricultural and horticultural levy bodies

Order-making powers: general

The Regulatory Impact Assessment

13 Conclusions and recommendations

Annex

Note of visit to the Eastern Region of England

Formal minutes

Witnesses: The Government's Rural Delivery Strategy

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

Tuesday 2 November 2004

Tuesday 9 November 2004

Tuesday 30 November 2004

Tuesday 1 March 2004

Wednesday 2 March 2004

List of written evidence: The Government's Rural Delivery Strategy

Written evidence

Written evidence

Witnesses: The draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

List of written evidence: The draft Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

List of unprinted written evidence

Reports from the Committee since 2001

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Prepared 26 March 2005