Oral Answers to Questions

Emma Hardy Excerpts

Tuesday 7th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay)]

As the Prime Minister said last week, we are doubling down on levelling up, and he committed last week to £95 million for shovel-ready projects in the east midlands, in addition to the £10.25 million of accelerated funding from the towns fund for Kirkby-in-Ashfield. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend in his commitment to levelling up his constituency.

[Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) (Lab)]

It has been a pleasure to meet the young entrepreneurs in Hull. Many of these young people faced great adversity before setting up their own businesses, but they have had no income, no support and no grants from the Government. Have these young people been forgotten?

[Rishi Sunak]

These young people have absolutely not been forgotten, and we remain indebted to them for their dynamism in helping to power our recovery. I am delighted that our start-up loans scheme has recently been expanded and is able to provide cash loans to those budding entrepreneurs in her constituency and others. I urge them to have a look at it to see whether it will help fund their plans.