Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, when he expects the Office for Investment to establish a new national investment partnership framework to help Mayoral Strategic Authorities to build their investment (a) capacity and (b) capability.

The Office for Investment (OfI) aims to support the integration of more seamless investment services through deepened partnership working with key regional partners and building of local investment capacity and capacity. The OfI is already taking steps in line with its commitment in the Modern Industrial Strategy through the delivery of the Strategic Investment and Engagement Framework programme in 2025/26. This is designed to support Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MCAs) and other local authority partners in the North of England and the Midlands to fund locally impactful investment services. We will continue to review this framework to ensure we are effectively supporting MCAs to build investment capacity and capability.