Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the rural proofing of its policies.

Dr Thérèse Coffey, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment: The implications for rural areas are at the core of Defra’s policy making as illustrated by, for example, the recent consultation on the future for food, farming and the environment (www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment) and our 25 Year Environment Plan(www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-year-environment-plan). As the champion for rural proofing across Government, we are working with other departments to ensure the interests of rural communities and businesses are considered throughout the Government’s policy making process.

Hansard

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