Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in addition to their devolution programme for cities, what steps they are taking to promote the rural economy.

As Government sets out the next stages of its developing Industrial Strategy, and meeting our manifesto commitments, I hope that we will be able to provide all areas across the country with greater clarity on how best to take forward their ambitions. That’s why we want to provide a clear framework on local growth and devolution, so local areas know where they stand. Meanwhile, rural economies are benefiting from growth and investment initiatives including fifteen Enterprise Zones located in rural areas; the Rural Development Programme for England which is providing £3.5 billion to support farmers, foresters and rural businesses and communities; and on going investment in connectivity across the UK, including the £1.7 billion of public funding dedicated to delivering superfast broadband and improvements to mobile connectivity in rural areas.