Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the creation of more jobs in Leeds for young people.

The Leeds economy is performing well. The current employment rate is 1.1% ahead of the England average and has grown by 5.2% since 2010. In 2016 Leeds saw the highest private sector jobs growth (6.1%) in the UK.

Government is investing in economic and jobs growth in the area through the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. The first two rounds of the Growth Deal will deliver 10,000 new jobs in the City Region. Projects supported include the Leeds City Region Business Growth Programme, through which over 130 Leeds businesses have benefitted from capital grants to create jobs. The Leeds City Region City Deal supported the creation of Apprenticeship Hubs which led to over 2,300 new apprenticeships; the Headstart programme, which supported over 1,000 18-24 year olds into work; and the Devolved Youth Pilot which saw 3,100 16-17 year olds move into education employment or training.