The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Mr Mark Prisk)
I would like to inform the House that today I have written to local enterprise partnership chairs and shadow chairs setting out the new measures that BIS is introducing today to support partnerships as they deliver their ambitions for growth. These initiatives include:
A new £5 million start-up fund for LEPs aimed at helping those partnerships which do not have any institutional capacity to get started and get themselves on a sustainable financial footing. This funding will be available in 2011-12 only.
The launch of a toolbox for LEPs, which provides information on economic development activity across Government Departments and ideas for strong LEP/ Government co-operation. This includes the contact details of the six local relationship management teams which BIS has put in place to provide the key first point for contact for LEPs on any issues they have.
More details of these initiatives can be found on the BIS website through the following address:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/leps.