Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the growth of small and medium businesses in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the measures that Government is taking to support small businesses across the UK. This includes legislation to end the scourge of late payments which costs the UK economy £11bn annually and proposals to increase access to finance through the British Business Bank.

Businesses across the North-East, including those in Hexham constituency, Northumberland, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne can also access specialist advice on how to scale up, access new markets, and receive financial support to grow through the North-East Growth Hub, delivered in partnership with the North-East Combined Authority.