RURAL DEVELOPMENT

That this House expresses disappointment that the Rural Development Programme for England is now likely to be delayed until the end of 2007; recognises that this is a direct consequence of the Prime Minister's capitulation to President Chirac at last December's EU Summit, where, having failed to cut spending on direct farm support, he secured cuts to important EU rural development funding; and notes that in doing so he killed off any chance of a more favourable allocation for English farmers.