Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amanda Solloway and Mark Eastwood

Tuesday 6th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mark Eastwood (Dewsbury) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to support the Government’s levelling- up agenda.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Amanda Solloway)]

We have made a commitment to level up all areas of the country. The plan for growth is a critical part of this and we will go further with the publication of a levelling-up White Paper later this year.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

We now go to Alexander Stafford. Not here. Let’s go to Mark Eastwood, who is here.

[Mark Eastwood]

I am pleased that my hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Miriam Cates) and I have put forward a £48 million joint levelling-up fund bid to support improvements to the Penistone line, which runs through our constituencies. Will the Minister agree to work with the Department for Transport and the Treasury in supporting this bid, which, if successful, would help to boost local businesses and bring much-needed jobs to my constituency, especially in Kirkburton and Denby Dale?

[Amanda Solloway]

My hon. Friend has been a tireless advocate for his constituency, most notably in his advocacy of the Dewsbury town deal. As he will know, the support of MPs is important for bids to the levelling-up fund, but he will understand that I cannot go further than that while the bids are being evaluated.