Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Tuesday 13th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[James Morris (Halesowen and Rowley Regis) (Con)]

14. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local enterprise partnerships.

[Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

18. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local enterprise partnerships.

[The Minister for Climate Change and Industry (Mr Nick Hurd)]

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 14 and 21 together.

Local enterprise partnerships do extremely important work as voluntary partnerships, bringing together business insight, local authorities and universities to shape and support local growth, not least through growth deals that are funding more than 800 projects across England.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hurd]

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing that to the attention of the House; it sounds like a fantastic deal that will unlock many opportunities for people and businesses in the black country. I hear great things about the LEP and the chairmanship of Stewart Towe, and through my hon. Friend, who I know has been a tireless champion of the LEP, I pass on the congratulations of the Government.

[Sir Henry Bellingham]

At a time when LEPs have been having a hard time in the media, is the Minister aware that my constituency is well served by two excellent LEPs: the New Anglia LEP and the Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough LEP? What wider role does he envisage for LEPs, and will he consider expanding the growing business fund?

[Mr Hurd]

I thank my hon. Friend for standing up for his LEPs at a difficult time for them as a result of the allegations made. I assure him that LEPs are at the heart of the process of feeding into the industrial strategy; we are absolutely clear that that industrial strategy needs to reflect deep understanding of the different challenges and opportunities each area faces, which is why the Secretary of State has allocated ministerial champions to each LEP.