Oral Answers to Questions

Jane Ellison Excerpts

Monday 31st October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

6. What steps his Department is taking to promote local enterprise.

[Jane Ellison (Battersea) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to promote local enterprise.

[Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon) (Con)]

19. What steps his Department is taking to promote local enterprise.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Pickles]

I am grateful for my hon. Friend’s kind remarks. I do not want us to become a mutual admiration society, but although my hon. Friend was initially unsuccessful in securing enterprise zones, he continued to lobby, made a very good case for them, and managed to form a coalition of the willing in industry that Opposition Members would do well to emulate. Following the announcement on 3 October, when the Chancellor invited the Lancashire and Humber local enterprise partnerships to put together a scheme, my officials worked with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Lancashire councils to produce something of which the people of Lancashire will be very proud.

[Jane Ellison (Battersea) (Con)]

My question also concerns job creation. When I met the chief executive of my local council recently, we talked about what more could be done to support encourage local entrepreneurs. Will the Secretary of State do all he can to encourage all councils to display a “can do” rather than a “can’t do” attitude when approached by budding entrepreneurs?

[Mr Pickles]

My hon. Friend’s council has long had a reputation as a can-do council, and it is one of the best for keeping down the council tax and keeping satisfaction high among its residents. Given that quite a lot of the important developments in west London lie within her patch, we are looking to her and to the council to expedite badly needed growth.