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Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

As the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer is well aware, we do not share the same view with regard to RDAs; it is something that is well known—our party does not believe that the RDAs are the appropriate body. But I thank her for raising this particular question. Does the Minister feel that the balance in the Bill is right between economic competitiveness and sustainability? I too have slight doubts about that. On previous days in Committee I expressed my doubts, in the confidence of the noble Lord, Lord Haskins, that the RDAs will fulfil the job that the Government are expecting them to do within this Bill. I have a question on that. As the Minister knows, we on these Benches would much rather see that role of delivery passed down to a more local level, particularly to a county and district or metropolitan level, rather than being left at regional level. The Government have great confidence that the structure will work well but we are still concerned about the rural survival, as I have put it in my notes. That is perhaps too dramatic, but I do not think it really is—RDAs are very big bodies, and the whole question of rural development and rural sustainability is very much crucial to success as far as many people living in rural areas are concerned. With the likely change within the CAP reform and the single farm payments, the payment to Pillar 2 will be squeezed and some of the very things that Defra was hoping would be achieved through the rural development agencies and the Rural Development Service may well be jeopardised. I thank the noble Lady again for giving me this opportunity. Although in some ways I support the thoughts behind her amendments, in practice I do not hold the same view on regional development agencies as she does.