Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage, promote and support businesses, including social enterprises, to increase their trade with other businesses at a local level.

Businesses and social enterprises are vital to our economy and it is important we create the best possible environment to enable firms, both large and small, to identify and exploit opportunities to trade locally, nationally and in overseas markets. As part of our Industrial Strategy, we will make the most of the diverse strengths of all of Britain’s cities and regions to attract more investment and therefore create more opportunities for companies to trade with each other. For example the decision by BMW to build the all-electric Mini at its plant in Oxford will boost commercial opportunities for existing and new companies in the local region.

Industrial Strategy will also help us identify opportunities to help all businesses create jobs and wealth across the economy. The Government has invested £44m in the creation of a network of 38 Growth Hubs via Local Enterprise Partnerships, to provide access to impartial and coordinated business support to all registered businesses in England.