Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of the British Business Bank’s annual investment capacity has been earmarked for deployment in under-served (a) regions and (b) nations of the UK.

The British Business Bank invests flexibly, allowing it to react to changing market conditions. Most investment decisions are taken by the managers of funds in which the Bank has invested. For these reasons, investment is not generally earmarked in advance for specific nations and regions of the United Kingdom.

The £1.6 billion Nations and Regions Investment Funds are the exception. They currently provide debt and equity finance to businesses in three regions of England and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Two new funds, covering South and East England, will launch in April 2026.