Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Menzies 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.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)]

My Department has been championing a series of measures to promote local economic growth. For example, our proposals for the local retention of business rates will reward councils for working with business, and will provide new incentives to drive growth. The 22 enterprise zones will generate new businesses and jobs in a targeted way across the country, from Newcastle to Newquay.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

I thank the Secretary of State for his leadership in developing the enterprise zone at Warton. What steps is his Department taking to drive it and similar enterprise zones forward, and to create jobs for the people of Lancashire?

[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.