Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of rural engineering businesses in West Dorset in supporting farming, food production and rural infrastructure, and what steps she is taking to ensure Government policy supports rural engineering businesses.

The Government recognises the value of rural engineering businesses in supporting farming, food production and rural communities. Through the Small Business Plan, the Government is helping businesses to start, scale and grow by improving access to support and finance, tackling late payments and creating more opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises through public procurement.

The Government is also investing in skills development through the modern Industrial Strategy, including investment in further education, technical training and apprenticeships, to help ensure businesses in rural areas can access the workforce they need.

The Government has also introduced a £4.3 billion business rates support package following the 2026 revaluation to help protect businesses from significant increases in their bills.