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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister’s response, but I would urge him and his colleagues to bear in mind that parts and in some cases maybe even the majority of the area of a given national park are already sparsely inhabited. Moreover, we know that employment in agriculture continues to fall and there is little reason to be seen for it ever recovering or increasing. Therefore, social and economic expenditure for the benefit of those residents of national parks who remain in place becomes year by year all the more important; it should not be whittled away and should probably be increased. I hope that that point can be given some further thought.