To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the rate of growth of knowledge-intensive industries was in (a) rural areas, (b) urban areas and (c) nationally in each year since 1997. (318426)

Gross value added in knowledge-intensive industries and the associated year on year growth for the UK as a whole is detailed in the table below. This corresponds to an annual average growth rate of 5.8 per cent. per annum. Data on a rural versus urban basis are not available.