Extract from Economy
Update statement (Commons)
(Mansfield) (Con): I thank my right hon. Friend for the generous
support he has laid out today. It is particularly welcome for
hospitality businesses, which have already been texting me their
support for the packages. He will know that our country has
regional inequalities, and many disadvantaged communities in the
east midlands will be among the hardest hit by covid-19, while
historically we have been underfunded compared with other
regions. Will he help us to rebuild and have a strong local voice
in this recovery by backing an east midlands authority as an
effective voice for our area, to get all pistons firing on the
midlands engine and rebalance things with our effective West
Midlands Mayor, , and make sure that the work
he is delivering in government can be delivered effectively in
the east midlands?
The Chancellor of the Exchequer (): I am loth to get involved in
an east midlands-west midlands spat, but I very much encourage my
hon. Friend in his efforts. He makes an important point about the
importance of local leadership. It will be local leaders—town
councils, parish councils, local authorities and local
enterprise partnerships—who drive forward our recovery
one area at a time.
Extract from Commons
debate on the Economy
(West Dorset)
(Con):...Local enterprise partnerships should be
coming into their own at this point, but from my experience in
West Dorset, LEPs vary in their capability to
deliver any economic benefits through infrastructure investment.
May I therefore urge the Minister, perhaps along with his
colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government, to review the LEPs’ deliverability
against their remit and, where necessary, drive the radical
reform required to deliver the Government’s agenda?
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