HC Deb 04 February 2002 vol 379 cc742-3W
Mr. Breed

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to enable (a) farmers and (b) non-farmers to have access to funds available for rural recovery following the foot and mouth crisis. [31158]

Alun Michael

As the hon. Member is aware from a previous answer of 29 November 2001,Official Report, column 539W, the Government have been actively raising awareness among affected businesses of the financial aid available to help cope with the impact of foot and mouth disease. The Small Business Service has sent out 3.7 million copies of their leaflet "Coping with Foot and Mouth Disease—help for business" via banks, post offices, trade associations, employer organisations, etc. Business advice fact sheets have been posted on DEFRA's website, http: //www.defra.gov.uk/, and we have set up help lines. The regional development agencies have also been actively promoting the Business Recovery Fund.

"England's Rural Future" published on 13 December our response to the reports of the Rural Task Force and Lord Haskins along with steps taken to implement the Rural White Paper. We are further promoting increased awareness and penetration of the measures we have put in place.

The Small Business Service embarked on an ambitious £2.5 million national advertising campaign in autumn 2001 under the title "The Unfair Advantage". It is designed to improve awareness of Business Links, and start driving responses from all business sectors to the national contact centre or Business Link website.

Farmers whose animals have been culled out as a result of foot and mouth disease have been targeted directly for the enhanced (five day) Farm Business Advice Service (FBAS). Publicity for the service has been direct to farms in the form of a personalised mail shot and explanatory leaflet. In addition the Rural Development Service's seminars held locally outlined the components of the service and how farmers can register. Further regional promotion by Business Links is conducted as and when it is necessary.