Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to support business growth in the north of England.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Business growth in the North of England is a priority for this Government. There are now over 167,000 more businesses in the North than in 2010, an increase of over 15%.
As part of our Northern Powerhouse Strategy we are supporting investment funds totalling over £500m for SMEs, four further science and innovation audits, and 11 Growth Hubs in the North.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage graduates from North West universities to remain in the North West after graduation and (b) attract graduates from across the country to the North West.
Answered by Margot James
Integrating graduate skills into the local economy is key to expanding a region’s high skills economy.
Graduates are relatively well represented in the North West compared to most other English regions. The most recent data (2014/15) indicates that approximately 10% (20,500) of first class degree graduates in the UK were employed within the region in the first six months after leaving university. Nearly 75% (14,200) of those employed studied at a Higher Education provider within the region.
Addressing the skills gap is key to Government’s plans to building a powerhouse in the North and an economy that works for all. We will continue to work with stakeholders to make the North a great place to live and work.