The Commons environment, transport and regional affairs select committee said post offices should also be given an important role in providing future Internet-based and financial services in the future.

The government must move rapidly to reconfirm that individuals will continue to receive benefit payments through the Post Office

The committee's report

The report on the government's forthcoming Rural White Paper warned that life in rural areas can be very different to the idyllic image of the countryside.

The MPs said the environmental quality of life in such areas was being harmed by the rise in house-building and government policies which since the last war had concentrated on making the most of cheap food production from farmers.

The report says the management of the natural environment and landscape should be put "at the heart" of the Rural White Paper.

It adds: "It should emphasise the government's intention to reverse those policies which have damaged the countryside."

'Move rapidly'

And the MPs added their voices to growing concerns over the closure of post offices and banks in rural areas, saying: "There is a clear need to ensure individuals have access to cash payments made locally.

"The government must move rapidly to reconfirm that individuals will continue to receive benefit payments through the Post Office and that any loss of income to the Post Office brought about by the changing pattern of payments should be offset by additional opportunities to gain custom.

"We fear that if they do not do so there will be a loss of some rural post offices."

The report also calls for any future tourist tax to be introduced so that it does not damage what is often a fragile industry.

The report says: "We further recommend that the revenues from any levy should be ring-fenced and directly used to alleviate the damage caused by visitors and to provide facilities such as public transport, which would also help minimise the environmental impact caused by tourism and recreation."

'Extraordinary assertion'

But the report produced a mixed reaction from Alan Buckwell, director of policy at the Country Landowners Association.

He said: "On the one hand, the committee makes the extraordinary assertion that the role of rural England as the food provider for the nation is no longer essential.

"On the other it expresses concern that necessary improvements in the planning system will 'lead to rural areas seeing a lot of economic development which would be better located in urban areas'.

"The report acknowledges the need to assist with farmers' markets, provide business services to agriculture and support small hill farmers.

"Yet it threatens to take the government's progressive and carefully planned redirection of support to agri-environment and rural development and impose a unilateral modulation scheme far in excess of anything imposed in the rest of Europe and which will undermine the ability of our farmers to compete."