Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect of granting the West Midlands Combined Authority the power to borrow to fund non-transport infrastructure projects.

As announced in the Autumn Statement, the government will give mayoral combined authorities powers to borrow for their new functions, which will allow them to invest in economically productive infrastructure, subject to agreeing a borrowing cap with HM Treasury.