Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to implement the proposals in the Government’s report entitled Towards a one nation economy: A 10-point plan for boosting rural productivity published in August 2015.

Rory Stewart

Implementing the Rural Productivity Plan requires collaboration across Government.

We have already begun to implement the plan, for example announcing new Enterprise Zones in rural areas and small towns, assessing expressions of interest to deliver 30 hours of free childcare early implementers in some areas, including rural, from September 2016, and lastly, premises without basic broadband will have access to a subsidised satellite scheme by the end of December.

By investing in education and skills, increasing wages, improving infrastructure and connectivity, and simplifying planning laws for rural businesses and communities, we will help create thriving rural areas where generations of families can open and expand their businesses, buy a home and educate their children at first class schools.