§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on agriculture support and service industries in rural areas of current problems in the agricultural sector; what plans he has to provide additional economic assistance to small businesses in rural Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [25205]
§ Mr. MacdonaldThe Scottish Office monitors business performance on a regular basis through its links with representative bodies, by monitoring trends in employment, production and income, and commissioning research. No specific support measures are planned for small businesses in rural Scotland but many of them are likely to benefit from the steps the Government have taken to support the farming industry.