§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the Budget on rural areas. [51983]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 23 April 2002]: Many of the measures in the Budget will benefit rural areas. In particular rural businesses are overwhelmingly small businesses and the Budget measures aimed at helping small businesses will benefit rural areas. The commitments given on increased benefits for health care and education will also help rural areas, as will the decision to exempt the provision of employer-subsidised bus services from tax. Measures to support neighbourhood renewal and to help disadvantaged areas, for example the abolition of stamp duty on non-residential property transfers in those areas, will also help the relatively few rural districts suffering severe social deprivation.