AGRICULTURE Minister Dr Jack Cunningham today insisted the Government was addressing the fundamental problems of rural areas in a comprehensive way.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The problems of rural areas and the countryside are profound.

"They are to do with unemployment, low pay, homelessness, deprivation, absence of public transport, inability of people to see doctors or dentists in some areas and making long journeys to find them.

"They are the problems that built up over the last couple of decades because of things like bus deregulation and withdrawal of support for services in rural areas."

Dr Cunningham dismissed as "curious" criticism of yesterday's Government announcement that it was giving landowners two years to show that voluntary agreements on public access to the countryside could work.

He said the Government was criticised first for not listening to people, and then accused of back-tracking when it did.

"There has been a long discussion about this. Principally it is a matter for the Department of the Environment.

"People like the Country Landowners' Association and others have made a very strong case for trying to achieve what we want to achieve on the basis of voluntary agreement and the Government is willing to give that a go and, if it works, fine.

"If it doesn't, we shall resort to legislation to deliver what we believe should be available to people, summed up in the phrase 'right to roam'."

He also indicated the Government would not make extra parliamentary time available for a Private Member's Bill to ban fox hunting put forward by Mike Foster, Labour MP for Worcester.

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