Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to encourage businesses in deprived areas historically impacted by deindustrialisation to employ people locally.

The Department for Business and Trade is committed to supporting economic growth and job creation across all parts of the United Kingdom, including in communities historically affected by deindustrialisation. The key objective of the Industrial Strategy is to drive up business investment, increase growth and create high quality jobs.

Across Government we are helping to ensure that local people have the skills that employers need, including through programmes focused on apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, and sector-based work academies.