To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on implementation of the new rural development programmes in England for the period 2007-13. (155358)

The European Commission (EC) must approve the Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13 before it can be fully implemented. The draft Programme was submitted to the EC in May and formally declared admissible in June 2007. The approval process normally takes about six months, or more if the EC seeks further information.

We are working to get formal Programme approval before the end of 2007. The Programme will then be fully implemented at the earliest opportunity.