Written question asked by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Thursday, 3 April 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 April 2003. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Monday, 14 April 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to channel production-linked farm subsidies into rural development schemes.

Answer: Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to channel production-linked farm subsidies into rural development schemes. [107806] Mr. Morley: Government have redirected, and match funded, a proportion of production linked subsidy payments into rural development measures since 2001. In the current negotiations on CAP reform we are pressing for both a shift in support from production-linked subsidies to environmental and rural development measures and a significant increase in the UK's share of current EU funding for rural development programmes. We are committed to increasing expenditure on the England Rural Development Programme. The detailed arrangements for delivering this commitment will depend on the outcome of the on-going negotiations on the reform of the CAP.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 107806; 403 c479-80W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Agriculture Farms Farmers Subsidies Common agricultural policy Rural development programme
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk