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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Government have to increase awareness among rural businesses of the financial aid available due to the foot and mouth outbreak. [6668] Alun Michael: 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--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. Preliminary results from research by Prism Consulting for the Department in September reveals that 40 per cent. of businesses had sought assistance from an outside organisation--be that central or local government, or through the regional development agencies, etc.--which is an improvement on earlier results. We continue to look at the most effective means to engage the rural business community in order to make sure that assistance gets to those businesses with the most pressing need.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

372 c1117W; 6668

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Business Advisory services Finance Foot and mouth disease Government assistance Leaflets Publicity Small businesses Small Business Service

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk