Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

The 2022 interim evaluation of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) found the fund had increased productivity, employment and skills across the North of England.

Of the businesses surveyed, 73% had increased workforce skills, and 62% reported additional investment in research and development. In total 6,071 new jobs have been created through the fund – almost 1,000 more than originally planned.

For 68% of surveyed businesses, the NPIF investment had funded the development of new products or services. Of these, 48% said their innovations would reduce carbon emissions, and 42% said they would improve health or the delivery of health services.