Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department's industrial strategy is for (a) Merseyside and (b) the North West.

Industrial Strategy is a long-term whole-of-government approach to support economic growth. The partnership between business and all parts of government has delivered, and continues to deliver, a range of opportunities to help create growth, jobs and economic prosperity across the UK. Whilst there are many examples of collaboration at a local level delivering industrial strategy objectives and economic growth (see www.bit.ly/instratmap), industrial strategy operates on a thematic and sectoral basis.

The Government is committed to creating a Northern Powerhouse, enabling the North of England to reach its potential as a driving force in the UK economy. The Government works closely with the Local Enterprise Partnerships across the North West, which are responsible for determining the priorities for investment in their areas in line with their strategic economic plans. This includes the expanded growth deals agreed in January 2015 with each Local Enterprise Partnership, which committed a total of £1.25bn of investment in the North West area over the lifetime of the deals (2015-2021), including £263.9m for the Liverpool City Region.