THE rural economy is something that “we within the Church of England are glad to play our part in”, the Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, said in a House of Lords debate called by him.
“We are at the center of a lot of our rural communities across the country, wanting to contribute to their flourishing and thriving.”
With a reference to “the untapped potential of the agricultural economy and the prosperity that it might deliver for our nation”, Dr Smith hoped that every little thing could possibly be framed with “the fitting policies and support in place”, and declared his interest “as president of the Rural Coalition and as a vice-president of the Local Government Association”.
“Nearly 20 per cent of the population of this country live within the countryside,” he said, “and over half one million businesses are registered in rural areas, employing 3.8 million people. The rural economy contributes over £315 billion a 12 months to England alone. It is important, then, that the Government’s missions not only deliver for rural communities but enable the agricultural economy to play its part in helping to deliver them.”
Baroness Shephard listed community advantages, concluding with “our rural schools, nearly 1 / 4 of which in Norfolk are church schools, where teachers strive to nurture and to encourage ambition and aspiration; and our network of churches, a lifeline for a lot of”.
The Earl of Devon praised Dr Smith “not just for calling this debate but for his tireless work on behalf of rural communities. At a time when the Bishops’ Benches are somewhat under assault, it’s notable how much work he does. The recently retired Bishop of Exeter similarly did an awful lot of labor for rural communities, and the Bishops’ voices are incredibly powerful.”
Lord Gascoigne said: “I pay tribute to . . . the Bishop of St Albans, for whom I actually have great admiration. Alongside . . . the Bishop of Norwich, he adds immense value to discussion of the crucial problems with rural communities and the environment. Like their namesakes on a chessboard, once they are combined, they’re formidable, and they bring about vital views to this Chamber.”
Poverty, inequality, reasonably priced housing and the impact of second homes in rural areas, and small businesses and growth were all touched on throughout the debate as pressing points of concern. Responding on behalf of the Government, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Baroness Hayman, assured the House that “we are going to proceed to consult with the Treasury from DEFRA, and I’ll all the time arise for the countryside and our rural communities. We recognise the importance of the agricultural economy and wider rural communities.”
In concluding the talk, on 19 December, Dr Smith thanked the Minister, and said that he feared that “fairly often, government is rural-blind. Many of us, for a few years now, have been asking for a comprehensive rural strategy, and for correct rural-proofing, not due to special pleading but because we consider that this may make an enormous difference to our nation.”
