To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when spending bodies will be allocated their budgets under the Rural Development Programme in England for the period 2007-13; and if he will make a statement. (155359)

The Rural Development Programme for England will be delivered by Natural England, the Forestry Commission, the Rural Payments Agency and eight separate Regional Development Agencies. These delivery bodies have been made aware of indicative budgets to enable them to meet existing commitments taken forward from the last Rural Development Programme, and help each delivery body plan for new activities. Formal budget allocations cannot be confirmed until the new programme receives European Commission approval.