House of Commons - Rural Communities - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee - Sixth Report
Rural Communities

Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 16 July 2013.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Summary

1 Introduction

Background

2 Rural funding

Local government finance settlement

Retention of business rates

School funding

Healthcare funding

3 Broadband and mobile

The Government's proposals

Beyond 2015

Mobile Infrastructure Project

4 The rural economy

Background

Barriers to growth

Rural Economy Growth Review

Local Enterprise Partnerships

5 Housing

Affordability

Housing as a ministerial priority

Affordable Homes Programme

Right to Buy

Welfare Reform Act 2012: under-occupancy

Planning and development

Second homes

New Homes Bonus

Help to Buy

Changing demographics

6 Fuel poverty

Background

Energy Company Obligation and the Green Deal

Energy Performance Certificate

Bulk-buying initiatives

7 Rural transport

A strategic policy

Bus services and community transport

Concessionary fares

Wheels to Work

Fuel prices

Reducing car dependency

8 Empowering communities

Community rights

Retaining services

Unequal capacity

9 Rural Communities Policy Unit

Rural proofing

Engagement

RCPU's priorities

Transparency, accessibility and expertise

10 Conclusion

Conclusions and recommendations

Annex: Defining rural areas

Formal Minutes

Witnesses

List of printed written evidence

List of additional written evidence

List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament

Oral and written evidence

Wednesday 7 November 2012: Dr Adam Marshall, Director of Policy, British Chambers of Commerce; and Paul Johnson, Chair, Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership; Gillian Elliott, Acting Assistant Director, Economic Development, Cumbria County Council; Helen Wright, Rural Policy and Partnerships Manager, East Riding of Yorkshire Council; and Councillor Keith House, Deputy Chair, Environment and Housing Board, Local Government Association

Wednesday 28 November 2012: George Dunn, Chief Executive, Tenant Farmers Association; Harry Cotterell, President, Country Land and Business Association; and David Collier, Chief Rural Affairs Adviser, National Farmers Union: John Moore, Chief Executive, Nynet; and Malcolm Corbett, Chief Executive, Independent Networks Cooperative Association; Mr Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, and Dr Rob Sullivan, Chief Executive, Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), Department for Culture Media and Sport

Wednesday 12 December 2012: Holly Sims, Corporate Affairs Manager, Calor Gas Limited; John Slaughter, Director of External Affairs, Home Builders Federation; Graham Biggs MBE, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network; and Sue Chalkley, Chief Executive, Hastoe Housing Association

Wednesday 9 January 2013: Tony Gates, Chief Executive, Northumberland National Park Authority; Paul Hamblin, Director, English National Park Authorities Association; and Neil Sinden, Policy and Campaigns Director, Campaign to Protect Rural England; Councillor Roger Begy OBE, Leader of Rutland County Council and Chairman of the Rural Services Network; and Sonia Mangan, Chief Officer, Age UK South Lakeland

Wednesday 16 January 2013: Keith Halstead, Chief Executive, Community Transport Association; Mike Perry, Head of Communication, Plunkett Foundation; and Professor Mark Shucksmith OBE, Director, Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal, Newcastle University; Rural Communities

Tuesday 29 January 2013: Richard Benyon MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment, Water and Rural Affairs, and Sara Eppel, Head, Rural Communities Policy Unit, Defra

Written evidence

Additional written evidence