Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Gibson Excerpts
Tuesday 7th May 2024

(1 week, 6 days ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gareth Davies Portrait Gareth Davies
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This is the Government who implemented £15 billion of support for communities outside of London and the south-east, which is one of the reasons why median pay growth is higher in every region outside of London and the south-east. Of course, there is a robust methodology and criteria for selecting places for funding, and I encourage the hon. Lady to look at those criteria.

Peter Gibson Portrait Peter Gibson (Darlington) (Con)
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With the Darlington economic campus now having passed 750 employees and being well on its way to providing over 1,500 roles in my constituency, what assessment has my hon. Friend made of its contribution to the local economy, to reducing inequalities and to our levelling-up agenda?

Gareth Davies Portrait Gareth Davies
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The Darlington economic campus is an important part of this Government’s operations and of our Government estate, but it is also important to the people of Darlington, and not just in terms of the jobs it has created. Of course, it builds on the back of significant funding on my hon. Friend’s watch: the £22 million town deal and the £6 million as part of the shared prosperity fund. That is one of the reasons why the people voted to elect Ben Houchen just the other day.