Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress her Department has made on implementing Investment Zones in the North West.

Investment Zones in England reflect the unique strengths and opportunities in each place and day-to-day delivery is led by accountable Mayoral Combine Authorities (MCAs). There are two Investment Zones in the North West, both of which entered delivery in April 2024. Good progress has been made by the accountable MCAs to mobilise the programmes, with a range of projects approved and launched over 2024/25.

In Greater Manchester, growth of the region’s advanced materials manufacturing clusters is being accelerated through the use of grant funding support for research and innovation, to grow the knowledge economy and to unlock laboratory and manufacturing space.

In the Liverpool City Region, growth of the region’s life sciences clusters is being accelerated through the use of both tax reliefs and grant funding to lever private investment and develop new world-class research, innovation and manufacturing facilities and capabilities.