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| Rural firms catching up, environment secretary says | Rural firms catching up, environment secretary says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Faster broadband and better transport links could help the rural economy grow faster than the urban sector over the next decade, Environment Secretary Liz Truss has said. | Faster broadband and better transport links could help the rural economy grow faster than the urban sector over the next decade, Environment Secretary Liz Truss has said. |
| Entrepreneurs were now more likely to start a new business in a rural area than in a town or city, she said. | Entrepreneurs were now more likely to start a new business in a rural area than in a town or city, she said. |
| Government analysis suggests output by 2025 could be £35bn higher than it would have been without such change. | Government analysis suggests output by 2025 could be £35bn higher than it would have been without such change. |
| Use of technology means the environment does not have to be damaged, she added. | Use of technology means the environment does not have to be damaged, she added. |
| Ms Truss said there could be both a "healthy environment" and "healthy economy". | Ms Truss said there could be both a "healthy environment" and "healthy economy". |
| She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "At the moment what we have is a gap between productivity in rural and urban areas. | She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "At the moment what we have is a gap between productivity in rural and urban areas. |
| "What that means is we are seeing an increasing number of business start-ups in rural areas - people are now more likely to start a business in a rural area than an urban area." | "What that means is we are seeing an increasing number of business start-ups in rural areas - people are now more likely to start a business in a rural area than an urban area." |
| She gave the example of a Norfolk firm selling airport security equipment to Dubai and China. | She gave the example of a Norfolk firm selling airport security equipment to Dubai and China. |
| The government and local authorities are investing £1.7bn in high speed broadband in the countryside. | |
| Ms Truss defended the speed of the rollout of the project, saying it would be available to over 95% of the UK by 2017. | Ms Truss defended the speed of the rollout of the project, saying it would be available to over 95% of the UK by 2017. |
| She also said wages would rise in future in rural economies and highlighted the help residents were getting from government policies on freezing fuel prices and road spending. | She also said wages would rise in future in rural economies and highlighted the help residents were getting from government policies on freezing fuel prices and road spending. |
| The analysis by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found rural areas in England are currently home to a quarter of all businesses, despite only around 18% of people living there. | The analysis by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found rural areas in England are currently home to a quarter of all businesses, despite only around 18% of people living there. |
| Knowledge-based industries including IT and consultancy were found to be among the fastest-growing businesses. | Knowledge-based industries including IT and consultancy were found to be among the fastest-growing businesses. |