Small Businesses

Lord Bishop of Hereford Excerpts

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Warsi]

I agree with my noble friend. We must also ensure that we cut back the red tape that stifles those businesses. Indeed, the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are jointly working on a task force to do just that. It is also important that we open up public and government contracts to small and medium-sized enterprises to ensure that they have a part to play not just in helping communities but in bidding for and having access to all government funding.

[The Lord Bishop of Hereford]

My Lords, I know that the Government share the concern of all of us who live in rural communities that small businesses in rural areas should also be encouraged. I also know that there has been a commitment to widen broadband and speed it up. However, the two things throttling small businesses in the countryside, which has a higher ratio of self-employed people than elsewhere, are broadband and fuel and therefore transport. Will the Government say something about the urgency with which they take those issues, so as to encourage small businesses in rural areas as well?

[Baroness Warsi]

The right reverend Prelate raises some important points. As your Lordships may be aware, one of the first vanguard areas for the big society was in Cumbria and it dealt with that very point: the extension of broadband to rural communities. However, I take on board the other concerns as well.