Local Enterprise Partnerships

Greg Clark Excerpts

Wednesday 8th June 2011 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Greg Clark)]

I, together with the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), would like to inform the House that today we have written to the proposed Humber local enterprise partnership inviting it to put in place governance arrangements.

The Government have moved quickly to recognise the Humber local enterprise partnership proposal, submitted last week, so that they can drive forward their economic ambitions. The Humber local enterprise partnership will focus on strategic opportunities for growth around renewable energy, ports and logistics, chemicals, international trade, strategic transport, infrastructure and innovation and aims to create upwards of 20,000 jobs.

Local enterprise partnerships are a real power shift away from central Government and quangos and towards local communities and the local businesses who really understand the opportunities for, and barriers to, growth in their areas.

This announcement brings the total number of partnerships so far invited to put their governance arrangements in place to 35. Taken together these represent 1.9 million or 95% of all businesses (active enterprises) in England, 22 million employees (employee jobs figures) or 96% of all employees in England, and a population of 49 million or 96% of England’s population. We will continue to work with other areas with a view to establishing further local enterprise partnerships across England.