Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessments her Department has made of the potential contribution of AI Growth Zones to economic growth in Teesside.

As my Honourable Friend will know, AI Growth Zones a priority for this government and central to our plan for growth.

The application process for AI Growth Zones opened in February. We received over 200 expressions of interest from across the country. And following the launch of formal applications in April, we have received 56 proposals to date.

I understand the Honourable member is as ambitious and impatient to hear what this means for his constituency as I would be for mine.

We’re going through the bids thoroughly now – and that process is not just locked up in Whitehall; we're talking to local authorities and potential investors, right across the country. So we’ll be able to say more soon.

These zones will be the key to making sure that tech and AI are not just for a few people at the top – but for every person. For people who most need jobs, and most need growth.