Written questions by Anderson.

What steps he is taking to support (a) start ups and (b) SMEs in rural areas.

All businesses can access support through their local Growth Hubs, providing advice and support, shaping the offer around unique needs, whether town or country.The Secretary of State recently announced the Business Growth Service ensuring businesses across the UK get support and advice from government.Rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. DBT works with other departments such as Defra, helping people living and working in rural areas to realise the full potential of rural businesses and communities placing them at the heart of our policymaking.

What recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the effectiveness of Royal Mail's delivery of the universal service obligation on letter delivery delays.

Ministers and officials meet with Ofcom regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the regulatory authority for the postal sector, including the overall provision of the universal service obligation. It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator, to monitor and enforce Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation.

What steps he is taking to increase the (a) availability and (b) affordability of Post Office services in rural areas.

To help ensure that there are affordable post office services in rural areas, the government provides an annual £50m network subsidy to support the delivery of both a minimum number of branches and strong geographical spread of branches in line with published access criteria.