Professor Mark Shucksmith appointed House of Lords Specialist Adviser Published on: 15 September 2017 The Director of the 麻豆传媒 Institute for Social Renewal will advise on the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Rural communities The 2006 Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act abolished the Countryside Agency and English Nature and established instead Natural England and the Commission for Rural Communities - which was subsequently abolished in 2013. The Inquiry will consider whether the structures established by the 2006 Act will be sufficient to ensure appropriate protection for nature and environmental standards and to represent the interests of rural communities across government following Brexit. The Committee’s questions include asking whether the CRC’s original functions of advocate, adviser and watchdog are being fulfilled; who is taking the lead on policy for rural areas; and what role DEFRA plays is coordinating policy for rural areas. Professor Mark Shucksmith Policy development Professor Shucksmith said: “I am delighted to be invited to support the Select Committee in its work in this crucial area. Much has changed since 2006, not least because of the Brexit referendum result, and so the Committee’s work will be highly relevant to policy development over the next few years.” Professor Shucksmith is internationally known as an expert in rural sociology, and has recently edited the Routledge International Handbook of Rural Studies. His first book No Homes for Locals? (1981) is now regarded as a classic. Throughout his career he has worked closely with policy and practice, advising governments, informing policy and practice development and engaging with rural communities, while also publishing more than 100 refereed papers and 12 books. Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at 麻豆传媒 warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from 麻豆传媒 to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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