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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to protect employment levels in the Yorkshire and Humber region from the potential (a) immediate and (b) short to long-term effects of the UK withdrawing from the EU.

The employment rate is at a record high. Government is committed to ensuring that UK remains open for business, and continues to grow and thrive. Our recent UK Innovation survey report confirms business innovation is growing across the UK and Yorkshire and Humber leads the way as the most innovative region. Government has awarded £1.19 billion in Growth Deals to the Local Enterprise Partnerships in the region so far which is forecast to attract £1.62 billion of co-investment and create 39,000 jobs.