MODERNISING RURAL DELIVERY BILL [DRAFT] 

KEY BENEFITS

• Ensure better management and protection of our natural resources by establishing a new Integrated Agency (IA): strong, independent body to integrate and build on the excellent work done by English Nature, Countryside Agency & Rural Development Service;
• Establish a powerful, independent voice for rural people, in the New Countryside Agency;
• Create clear policy framework & sustainable development remit for Defra delivery bodies;
• Improve our ability to deliver, by streamlining administration & legislation, and removing organisational barriers; and
• Create greater flexibility and ability to deliver business needs through SofS powers to devolve and modernise delivery arrangements.

The draft Bill will be published for pre-legislative scrutiny in order to ensure that we are creating a strong, effective and flexible new delivery landscape and that the provisions on the Integrated Agency will create a new, exciting entity that is more than a sum of its parts.

TERRITORIAL EXTENT

• Core of Bill, setting up a new Integrated Agency, will apply only to England. A number of the additional provisions will cover England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

COMMENTS:

If you have any comments on the proposals you can email them to:

Public Inquiries: ruralstrategy2004@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Press Inquiries:  marcia.nash@defra.gsi.gov.uk