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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to assess the future industrial opportunities of (a) towns, (b) cities and (c) the regions.

The Government is committed to levelling-up across the whole of the UK and so that people feel proud of their local areas, whether in a large city, town, rural or coastal area.

The Government has recently published the levelling-up strategy which commits to extensive work, support and monitoring for individual areas in the future. It is for local leaders, as the representatives who are best placed, to determine the best strategies for their future growth and success.

Government will continue to work in partnership with local authorities, and within the framework of the levelling-up agenda, to support improvements and growth across the whole of the United Kingdom. Examples of specific programmes with an industrial dimension including the Levelling Up Fund, Made Smarter, Help to Grow and the Towns Fund.