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Small Businesses: Rural Areas

Asked by Mr Lee DillonLiberal DemocratDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 17 November 2025UIN 89890

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps he has taken to ensure rural community owned businesses are included in the Small Business Strategy.

Answered by Blair McDougall

The Small Business Plan outlines how we will make thriving small businesses a reality across the UK, whether across towns or countryside. Rural areas offer significant growth potential and fulfilling the needs of people and businesses in rural areas is at the heart of our policymaking.

The Plan was developed through engagement with a large number of key stakeholders and trade associations including roundtables with farms and community-based businesses.

The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed, ensuring that all intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas and include community-owned businesses.

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