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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen rural communities.

This Government wants thriving rural areas with strong and sustainable economies and vibrant communities, and for those living and working in rural areas to have the same opportunities as those in towns and cities.

Our rural communities already have many strengths. Employment in rural areas is higher than the UK average, and unemployment lower. Well-being is higher. The Government has, however, taken steps to address the challenges faced by rural communities.

The Government recognises the importance of fast and reliable broadband and mobile connectivity in rural areas. Superfast broadband is now available to over 96% of UK premises and is expected to reach around 97% over the next few years. The Universal Service Obligation will ensure universal broadband coverage of at least 10Mbps by 2020. The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review published in July last year proposed an ‘outside in’ approach to delivery of full fibre which will ensure that the final 10% of premises across the UK, mostly in rural areas, are not left behind.

The Department for Transport has funded 37 pilot “Total Transport” schemes to improve rural transport and supported community transport operators by providing £25 million of funding through the Community Minibus Fund for over 400 new vehicles.

Rural businesses can qualify for rate relief if they are in an area with a population below 3,000, and if they are either the only village shop with a rateable value of up to £8,500, or the only public house or petrol station with a rateable value of up to £12,500.

In December 2017, the Government announced £370 million of funding (from April 2018 to March 2021) to secure the future of the UK’s Post Office network. Of that funding, £160 million is helping to protect the “last shop in the village” community branches and to ensure everyone continues to have access to their local branch.

On healthcare, the Government has extended the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme which provides a £20,000 salary supplement for newly qualified GPs who take up offers to work in hard to recruit areas. In 2018, 265 places were funded and a further 276 locations have been identified for posts commencing in August 2019. The Pharmacy Access Scheme is safeguarding a baseline level of patient access to a bricks and mortar pharmacy, protecting rural pharmacies and this vital service for rural communities.

Defra will soon be launching a £3 million grant fund to help improve village halls, making them more accessible and useful to the communities they serve and helping to alleviate issues such as isolation and loneliness. Linked to this Defra has set up a rural loneliness forum and is encouraging the Defra-funded network of rural community councils to focus on actions to tackle loneliness as part of the Government’s Loneliness Strategy.