Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of restoring Assisted Area status to support investment, jobs and economic growth in less economically developed parts of the UK, such as Teesside.

The department currently supports Tees Valley Combined Authority, covering the Teesside area, through several existing growth focused funding pots including; Investment Zones, Freeports, and the Local Growth Fund. The department has no current plans to reintroduce Assisted Area Status.