To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the development of a new rural framework for Northern Ireland.

The ongoing work to develop the new Rural Policy Framework was endorsed by stakeholders at an engagement event attended by over 120 delegates on the 16th January in Loughry College.

Following this each of the five working groups took on board feedback from the engagement event and finalised their agreed reports during February. Officials are now reviewing the reports and using this information to develop the overarching draft rural framework policy. Although we are focusing efforts on the Covid 19 response it is still planned that a draft framework will go to for full public consultation later this year.