It is obvious that a great many people are seeking to catch my eye and that we have a limited amount of time this afternoon. I expect there to be a time limit in the region of six minutes for Back-Bench speeches. I hope that will allow people to prepare accordingly.

He suggested creating unitary authorities as a way to streamline decision making in Dorset, highlighting that this has made it easier for Members of Parliament, councillors and officers to collaborate effectively.

Pays tribute to the hon. Member for North Devon, expresses appreciation for living in Cumbria while highlighting economic struggles due to higher costs of public services in rural areas. Criticises the government's lack of funding towards these regions based on their own metrics, indicating that rural England is the poorest region. Discusses housing issues such as an increase in holiday lets and reduction in long-term private rental sector, leading to evictions and families leaving communities. Proposes amendments for local authorities and national parks to have powers over second homes, holiday lets, and domestic residences to control and preserve homes for locals. Addresses health concerns including a decrease in GPs, increased waiting times, lack of NHS dentists, and delays in cancer treatments. Mentions the need for more funding for rural stations and accessibility improvements. Discusses farming issues with the environmental land management scheme (ELMS), the threat to farmers due to unfair trade deals, and the impact on rural schools from unfunded pay rises and energy cost increases.

Thanked the hon. Friend for securing the debate and highlighted the importance of addressing inequalities within constituencies, not just the north-south divide. Emphasised that even prosperous areas can hide considerable deprivation, using her constituency as an example where a ward falls into the most deprived 20% nationally despite overall prosperity. Focused on three key pledges: rural transport (welcomed government actions but called for more funding in demand-responsive transport), broadband (acknowledged progress under Project Gigabit and £500 million investment, but noted patchy coverage from her survey), and planning/housing (praised Wychavon District Council's urban design aspirations while opposing a solar farm development due to its scale on agricultural land). Concluded by urging the Chancellor and Prime Minister to continue levelling-up efforts in rural Worcestershire.

Morgan highlighted the challenges faced by rural areas in North Shropshire, noting issues such as youth migration, hospital capacity problems, and a lack of affordable housing and public transport. She cited the example of Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital with high vacancy rates due to poor infrastructure. Morgan also discussed funding shortfalls for local government and the impact on social care services. She emphasised the need for better digital and physical connectivity in rural areas, mentioning issues like unreliable internet speeds and limited public transport options. Additionally, she pointed out that the cost of living crisis is more severe in rural regions due to higher housing, food, and transport costs.

Congratulates the Member for North Devon on securing the debate. Emphasises that rural areas face common challenges despite their beauty, such as isolation and high heating oil costs. Highlights the importance of levelling up in rural areas and unlocking economic opportunities through productivity improvements. Mentions statistics from the House of Commons Library about productivity disparities between urban and rural areas. Advocates for transformative measures like demand-responsive rural transport and mobile phone connectivity to support local businesses. Calls for smart policies that consider specific needs of different regions, such as faster rail services in West Oxfordshire.

Congratulated Selaine Saxby for securing the debate and focused on the role of the Government in improving funding allocation to rural areas. He noted that the metrics for measuring rural deprivation are flawed, with rural communities receiving 37% less per capita than urban counterparts. Emphasised higher costs such as council tax bills, transport costs, and energy prices faced by rural residents compared to urban ones. Highlighted issues like poor broadband provision, limited public transport access, high social care costs, and reliance on off-grid energy generation. Urged the Minister to look again at funding formula adjustments and suggested including metrics such as fuel poverty rates, frequency of public transport services, superfast broadband penetration, and distance to further education providers.

Supported Philip Dunne's comments about the levelling-up bids from Shropshire Council, particularly highlighting the Craven Arms 'gateway to growth' bid which would deliver a major transport infrastructure project and unlock employment land. Noted that Shropshire spends 83p of each pound on adult social care costs due to an older population and high social care costs.

Welcomes the debate on rural policy; criticises frequent changes in DEFRA Ministers and their differing priorities; highlights the need for a strategic approach to rural policy that remains stable over time. Mentions the impact of the Ukraine war on food security, noting labour shortages and avian flu impacts. Emphasises the importance of addressing food insecurity due to rising costs. Advocates for rewilding coastal waters and supporting wildlife biodiversity. Critiques ELMS's current trial phase for being unattractive to farmers. Proposes empowering local groups to collaborate with central authorities on environmental tasks, such as flooding management by farmers. Recommends pilot projects like the one in Cumbria led by John Geldard, which addresses rural crime through a multiskilled team including retired police officers.

Responds to Bernard Jenkin's mention of John Geldard’s initiative in Cumbria, acknowledging the importance of infrastructure investment for flood management to ensure sustainable agricultural productivity.

He emphasises the importance of having a strategic approach to maintain rural communities, criticising the lack of Treasury representation in the debate. He notes that many smaller local authorities are ill-equipped to handle complex funding bids due to limited capacity and experience. Mundell also highlights the need for flexibility in levelling-up initiatives and calls for more community-driven decisions regarding funding allocations. He praises the Borderlands initiative but stresses the importance of loosening Green Book rules to effectively invest in rural areas. Finally, he mentions specific projects under his constituency's levelling-up bid.

Cates speaks about the challenges faced by her Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency, including reduced bus services due to rising costs and decreased patronage post-covid. She criticises the failure of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s bus service improvement plan bid, leading to a lack of funding for their region compared to others. Despite these issues, she highlights local successes with new small bus models and plans to use towns fund to commission new buses in steep areas like Stocksbridge. Cates advocates for a localism agenda that puts decision-making power back into the hands of community leaders.

I ask for a fair share of funding from the levelling-up fund for South Dorset, specifically targeting Weymouth and Portland to regenerate local infrastructure and attract private investment. Despite Dorset's overall prosperity, significant pockets of deprivation exist, particularly in areas like Weymouth. Regenerating walls around harbours and marinas will cost millions but will significantly improve the area's attractiveness for businesses and residents.

Supports a fairer funding formula for rural areas, advocating for additional funds or a rural proof formula to ensure parity with urban areas. Highlights the challenges faced by rural councils in providing services due to higher costs and limited support grants. Urges the government to consider rurality in various sectors like local government, education, environment agency, roads, policing, and broadband infrastructure.

This House does not give enough time to debate rural issues. Rural hardship is often overlooked compared to urban poverty. There's a disparity in pay and investment between rural and urban areas, such as the difference in funding for Transport for London versus Dorset Council despite having the worst frequency rail line in the country. Sixth-formers in rural Dorset have to pay school bus fares while those in urban areas do not. Social mobility is among the worst in parts of West and wider Dorset. Dorset has one of the highest council taxes but receives no revenue support grant, unlike some London boroughs receiving £24 million. The loss of 18% of businesses during the COVID period is impacting local economy recovery. The number of patients discharged into social care at the expense of councils has tripled over three years in Dorchester Hospital. There's a need for reform in housing to address issues like second homes and properties used exclusively as Airbnb rentals, which have caused significant difficulties in villages.

Levelling up must include rural areas. The cost of living crisis affects rural communities more acutely than urban ones. People and businesses off the grid face unique challenges, such as those on heating oil needing to make large minimum orders that are not helped by the £100 fuel bill rebate. Hospitality and tourism in Cumbria need emergency support measures like those during the pandemic. More accommodation is needed to house young people and workers in agriculture, tourism, and hospitality; planning processes should be reviewed for second homes and short-term lets. Farmers require support amid high costs of fuel, animal feed, and fertiliser. Railway development projects such as the borders railway extending through Longtown to Carlisle need strong action to improve connectivity. Rural bus routes need subsidisation to address gaps in provision. Education transport for young people post-16 needs policy change mandating local authorities' provision. Ullswater Community College's radical rebuild is needed due to its condition. Virtual connectivity and support for community radio stations are necessary, as well as policies that reflect rural realities.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon on securing this debate and urge everybody to read her contribution, as it addresses issues common in rural areas around the country. In Meon Valley, public transport services have proven vulnerable to commercial pressures post-covid, with higher business costs and difficulties recruiting drivers impacting residents' access to essential services such as schools and jobs. Hampshire County Council faces financial challenges, affecting its ability to support these services, especially for young people commuting between Bishop’s Waltham and Whiteley. Additionally, broadband and telephone networks are crucial; the PSTN digital switchover raised concerns about isolated households during power cuts, necessitating proper safeguards. However, I welcome gigabit broadband schemes in Owslebury and other villages, yet there remain areas with slow internet speeds needing immediate attention. We must ensure 4G coverage and roll out 5G to rural areas like mine for farming and small businesses to benefit from better connectivity.

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon on bringing this debate, highlighting that although the Government are delivering some funds, more is needed to address productivity rates, digital connectivity, public transport, median earnings, house prices relative to local earnings, and poverty dispersion in rural areas. Local authority funding formulas need reconsideration due to higher costs for providing statutory services in rural areas. Partnership working across social infrastructure can help levelling up by preventing redundant efforts and resources. The “Levelling Up” White Paper highlighted significant problems with accessing health and social care services in rural communities, including poor digital connectivity and lack of public transport. Affordable housing is crucial for economic and social levelling up, as well as addressing tourism's impact on local authorities and police services through a potential local tourism tax. Reducing VAT for hospitality businesses could help mitigate increases in energy costs and supply chain disruptions.

Smith discussed the energy crisis and its impact on off-grid households in rural communities, highlighting the inadequacy of current support measures such as the £100 scheme. He also mentioned that rural areas receive 37% less funding for public services compared to urban areas, emphasising the need to address this imbalance. Smith pointed out specific challenges like carer expenses and infrastructure projects (HS2 and East West Rail) causing disruption and economic loss in local businesses. He urged for urgent action on GP access issues and called for retrospective measures under 'infrastructure first'.

Kruger praised the historical significance of his Devizes constituency, highlighting its long-standing economic importance through agriculture and innovation. He discussed how modern rural economies are thriving with high-tech firms, agritech advancements, and a revival in local food processing. Kruger emphasised the role of environmental land management schemes for enhancing food production and stressed the need for support in energy costs, VAT and rates relief, skills development, housing, connectivity, and streamlined planning processes to foster sustainable growth.

Critiques the concept of 'levelling up', arguing it is a myth. Points out that benefit claimants in Scotland have seen their income slashed by 16% due to Tory austerity measures over the past decade, highlighting levelling down rather than up. Emphasises Brexit's negative impact on rural economies through export declines and labour shortages. Cites OBR estimates suggesting only two-fifths of Brexit damage has been inflicted so far, with each person in the UK facing a bill of about £1,200.

Levelling up must address inequalities across all nations and regions, not just rural versus urban. The current approach is failing because it has met the Treasury's rejection. Rural communities face unaffordable housing, cuts to transport funding, overstretched healthcare services, and closing community hubs such as shops and pubs. These issues are more harshly felt in rural areas. Young people have had to move away for opportunities, taking their spending power with them. The evidence shows that 50% of the rural population live in areas with poor accessibility to services, compared with just 2% of urban populations. Weekly household expenditure on transport costs is £114 in rural areas versus £76 in urban areas, and median workplace earnings are £2,500 a year lower in rural areas. Proposals include a licensing system for holiday lets, prioritising addressing the rural transport crisis by improving bus services, and a new community right to buy allowing communities to take control of local assets.

Congratulates the Member for North Devon on securing the debate, highlights the importance of levelling up across the country. Acknowledges the publication of the Levelling-up White Paper and its emphasis on providing opportunities to communities where they are currently lacking. Emphasises that the initiative will take time but is committed to long-term improvements in living standards, infrastructure, education, health, and housing among others. Defends rural representation and nuance in addressing levelling up, criticising misinterpretations of challenges by SNP members.

Not directly quoted but criticised for his stance on the debate's relevance based on geography and misunderstanding the distribution of challenges in the UK, as per Lee Rowley's response.

The hon. Member thanks all contributors for their input, acknowledges the Minister's engagement on rural issues, criticises the SNP spokesman for misunderstanding pockets of deprivation in rural areas, emphasises that innovative solutions proposed by Conservative colleagues are cost-effective, calls for funds to be provided to rural councils ahead of next week’s autumn statement, and expresses hope that under new leadership, the government will work more effectively to level up rural Britain.