EFRA inquiry into rural strategy

THE ENVIRONMENT, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has decided to undertake an inquiry into the government‘s Rural Delivery Strategy 2004.

In particular, the committee will consider the proposal to establish an integrated agency consisting of English Nature, DEFRA‘s Rural Development Service and some parts of the Countryside Agency.

EFRA will also look into the proposed streamlining of rural, agricultural and environmental funding schemes, the delivery mechanisms for the strategy in total and the extent to which the strategy incorporates the recommendations of Lord Haskins‘s rural delivery review.

Interested parties are invited to submit written evidence to the committee by Friday, September 17.