Letter from the Minister of State, Department
for Transport, to the Chairman of the Committee (RR 33B)
At my attendance at the Transport Select Committee's
Inquiry on Rural Railways, on 15 December, I undertook to write
to you on a number of issues and subsequently did so on 18 January.
However at the time there was one issue on which I was unable
to offer the Committee a firm assurance and that was on the future
funding for the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACORP).
I therefore sought further clarification from Alun Michael, the
Minister for State at the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs on this matter. I have now received his reply and
am able to offer the Committee a more substantive response on
this issue.
I am happy to inform the Committee that Alun
Michael has confirmed that DEFRA will offer ACORP some support
for the next financial year. They have not yet informed the Association
of their decision, but hope to do so shortly.
I would also like to reiterate our firm commitment
to maintain, at least to the present level, the funding provided
to ACORP through the Strategic Rail Authority. Thus for the financial
year 2005-06 the Authority will continue to provide a minimum
of £45,000 to the Association.
Community Rail Partnerships are an essential
strand of the Community Rail Development Strategy. Although CRPs
exist independently of the strategy, each Community Rail line
will need to have the support of a Community Rail Partnership,
and as their representative body, ACORP's assistance in the development
of the Strategy has been vital and will continue to be so as the
Strategy is rolled out. I am therefore pleased to be in a position
to inform the Committee of this positive outcome on this matter.
Tony McNulty
15 March 2005
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