Oral Answers to Questions

Clive Lewis Excerpts

Tuesday 13th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hurd]

I thank my hon. Friend for standing up for his LEPs at a difficult time for them as a result of the allegations made. I assure him that LEPs are at the heart of the process of feeding into the industrial strategy; we are absolutely clear that that industrial strategy needs to reflect deep understanding of the different challenges and opportunities each area faces, which is why the Secretary of State has allocated ministerial champions to each LEP.

[Clive Lewis (Norwich South) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

If the hon. Gentleman will be very brief, I will take him now, but if he won’t, I won’t.

[Clive Lewis]

I will be very brief, Mr Speaker.

Some newspapers have exposed shocking examples of what I can only describe as crony capitalism in some of our LEPs. For example, the former elected mayor of Bristol, George Ferguson, received more than £50,000 for his own brewing firms while on the LEP board, which kept no minutes; perhaps the Minister is impressed to find right-wing politicians who can organise a booze-up in a brewery. Given that the Government are putting nearly £2 billion into LEPs through the autumn statement, can he tell us what they are doing to enforce basic standards of accountability?

[Mr Speaker]

I promise not to buy my dictionary from where the hon. Gentleman got his.