House of Lords Committee calls for local business support

The House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy has released a report outlining ways in which to tackle challenges within rural areas.

The report calls on the Government to put into place a strategy to ensure that businesses in these areas are supported, with a recommendation to tackle issues including reviewing the impact of small business and rural rate relief provisions on pubs, shops and other rural businesses.

The Chair of the Committee, Lord Foster of Bath, said, “Rural communities and the economies in them have been ignored and underrated for too long. We must act now to reverse this trend, but we can no longer allow the clear inequalities between the urban and rural to continue unchecked. A rural strategy would address challenges and realise potential in struggling and under-performing areas, and allow vibrant and thriving areas to develop further. Doing nothing is not an option.”