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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how the Government is addressing the regional productivity gap in each region and constituent part of the UK.

The objective of Government’s Industrial Strategy is to increase productivity and drive growth across the United Kingdom. We have provided a framework to build on the strengths of different places and address the factors that hold others back. This will include investing in key infrastructure projects, increasing skill levels, and backing local innovation strengths.

The Industrial Strategy will build on the £12 billion Local Growth Fund (2015-16 to 2020-21) for local areas; 8 Devolution Deals; and 48 Enterprise Zones that will unlock £2.7 billion of private sector investment. We have also agreed ambitious city deals in Scotland and Wales and we will work towards further such deals across the Devolved Administrations.