Productivity and Economic Growth: East Midlands

John Whitby Excerpts

Tuesday 17th March 2026 Westminster Hall

[John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Huq. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish) for securing the debate.

In Derbyshire Dales, we quarry the stone used to build new homes, produce the cement that keeps our buildings standing and have the outstanding natural landscapes that support a vibrant visitor economy. Derbyshire produces 85% of the UK’s limestone, and that raw material is essential for construction, infrastructure and manufacturing industries across the UK. However, as my hon. Friends have said, the east midlands’ economic growth has been held back by decades of under-investment. I therefore strongly welcome the £2 billion of transport funding for the East Midlands combined county authority, which should, in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire at least, start to redress the balance.

Two transport-related projects in particular highlight the need for additional investment. Today, there is no direct train line from Derby, Nottingham or Leicester to Manchester. The map of the rail network has a Matlock-to-Buxton-sized hole in it, meaning that people from the cities of the east midlands have to travel via Stoke or Sheffield to get to Manchester. Reinstating that line would act as a catalyst for economic growth and increase productivity across our region. It would deliver major economic gains, connect tourism hotspots such as Bakewell to the rail network, and connect places such as Matlock and Matlock Bath to Manchester. It would bring major benefits for young people looking for work or education, for the transportation of freight from our quarries, for the millions of tourists coming to the area for its hospitality offer, for regional connectivity, and for small businesses that would warmly welcome commuting employees. We wait in anticipation of the Manchester and East Midlands Rail Action Partnership’s feasibility study, which we expect by the end of this month.

Aside from transport, there are other projects that would deliver major economic benefits. Peak Cluster based in the Hope valley is the world’s largest cement decarbonisation project and has the potential to decarbonise 40% of the UK’s cement and lime production. The project would safeguard our cement industry for generations to come, support over 13,000 jobs and attract £5 billion of private investment. I urge the Government to provide a clear route to market for carbon capture and storage projects beyond track 1 and track 2 clusters.

If we do secure the future of our cement and lime industry through carbon capture, which in turn will help to build the 1.5 million homes, there will be even more freight, much of it coming through the town of Ashbourne. The lack of a relief road has been a problem for decades. Already, around 700 heavy goods vehicles a day pass through the town, which causes major road safety issues and results in levels of air pollution above the legal limit. The Government have set ambitious housing targets. To deliver them, we need to support our industries and provide them with the infrastructure they need to thrive, but we also need to protect our residents. All we ask is for the playing field to be levelled.