Tuesday Volume 653 29 January 2019 No. 242 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 29 January 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 625 29 JANUARY 2019 626 second road investment strategy period will be almost House of Commons 175% of the previous period, which is a substantial increase in investment in our roads. Tuesday 29 January 2019 Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op): The The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Centre for Cities report published yesterday shows that there is low productivity in York but also serious levels PRAYERS of underemployment. What are the Government doing to address underemployment and ensure that we get the maximum benefit for our economy? [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Robert Jenrick: Through our productivity plan, we are investing more in the skills base in all parts of the Oral Answers to Questions country, whether that be through apprenticeships, the national retraining scheme or raising standards in our schools. We are also investing more in our infrastructure. TREASURY Over the last four years, there has been a 50% increase in public investment in infrastructure in Yorkshire and The Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked— the Humber compared with the last four years of the Labour Government. The hon. Lady and I met recently Economic Growth: Yorkshire to discuss her plans in York for the high street and improving the city centre, which we wish to support. 1. John Grogan (Keighley) (Lab): What recent assessment he has made of trends in economic growth in Yorkshire. Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con): Does [908864] my hon. Friend agree that well-run city regions are the The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Robert key drivers of productivity and prosperity and that Jenrick): There are 200,000 more people in employment Yorkshire’s economy is best served by devolution to the in Yorkshire and the Humber today than in 2010. city regions of Sheffield, Leeds, Hull and York? Unemployment has fallen by over 45%, and it is currently the second fastest growing jobs market in the UK. Since Robert Jenrick: We are seeing mayors across the 2010, nearly 70,000 more businesses have been created, country driving their regions’economic strategy,including and the region has seen growth of 21%. great mayors like Ben Houchen in the Tees Valley and Andy Street in the West Midlands. We want to see more John Grogan: In the light of figures produced by the mayors, but we have to be mindful of the original Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, which suggest purpose of devolution, which, as my hon. Friend said, that growth in Yorkshire and the Humber has been less is the role of cities and their immediate hinterland in than 1% since 2010, whereas it has been over 3% in driving productivity and economic growth. London, is it not time for Ministers to start talking seriously to the 18 Conservative and Labour local authority New Business Creation leaders who advocate One Yorkshire devolution, with transitionalarrangementsinSouthYorkshireandelsewhere? 2. Will Quince (Colchester) (Con): What steps he is taking to encourage the creation of new businesses. Robert Jenrick: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government [908865] is reviewing the proposals of the One Yorkshire consortium. The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Robert It is our priority—I think it is a reasonable one—that Jenrick): The UK is one of the best places in the world the Sheffield city region and its mayor is taken forward to start a business, and a new business is being established and that the mayor is able to fully perform his functions every 75 seconds in this country. The Government on behalf of the people who elected him a year ago. We champion entrepreneurship by keeping business taxes have said that the purpose of devolution is to create a low and helping entrepreneurs to access the finance mayoralty around a functioning economic geography. It they need. is not clear that that case has yet been made by an historic county of the scale of Yorkshire, but we will Will Quince: New and growing businesses in Colchester continue to consider the proposals. such as Ryza Media, Three Wise Monkeys, Heavenly Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): One scheme that is Desserts and Beer Me Now are helping to drive our vital in my constituency for promoting economic growth local economy. How will measures such as the start-up is the Shipley eastern bypass. The Secretary of State for loans programme, cutting business rates by a third and Transport has visited twice and made it clear that he entrepreneurs’ relief further encourage entrepreneurs in supports the scheme and would like to ensure that it is Colchester to thrive? implemented. Will the Treasury ensure that he has the funding to make the Shipley eastern bypass a reality? Robert Jenrick: My hon. Friend has named some of the measures that we have recently brought forward to Robert Jenrick: My hon. Friend and I have discussed support entrepreneurship in all parts of the country. At the Shipley eastern bypass on several occasions. We the recent Budget, the Federation of Small Businesses have put a record amount of money into our strategic declared it the most business-friendly Budget ever, and roads network. By hypothecating vehicle excise duty, rightly so. We have extended the start-up loans scheme, the amount of money available for road spend in the helping an extra 10,000 entrepreneurs to get the capital 627 Oral Answers 29 JANUARY 2019 Oral Answers 628 they need, and with that—along with our reductions in Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con): In its report on small business rates and with entrepreneurs’ relief, the seed business, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy enterprise investment scheme, the enterprise investment Committee drew attention to the need for consistency scheme and reductions in corporate taxes, including for of advice for small businesses and those starting small small businesses—we are creating the most globally businesses. In Rugby, that is provided by the growth competitive tax regime to support those who create jobs hub, as part of the local enterprise partnership. Does and enterprise in our country. the Minister agree with me that it is important that these bodies are properly resourced? Ruth Smeeth (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab): Data suggest that new businesses struggle in areas where Robert Jenrick: We do agree with that. All the evidence communities do not have free access to cash. As of this suggests that small businesses would benefit from better month, the mother town of the Potteries, Burslem—a quality advice across a range of areas. Recently in the town of 20,000 people—no longer has access to a Budget, we have supported extra funding for networks, free-to-use ATM. Will the Minister meet me to discuss to bring businesses together, and we are working across how we can work together to fix this? the Government to think about ways in which we can improve the quality of advice and increase competition Robert Jenrick: I would be very happy to meet the within business advisory services. hon. Lady. We are continually pressing the Payment Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): The Systems Regulator and the LINK organisation, which Minister should take some advice from someone who manages the ATM network, to ensure a good supply of has been in the House a long time: bragging about cash in all parts of the country. We recently issued a call being an “every 75 minutes” Minister is very dangerous. for evidence at the Treasury to give greater consideration I have just checked and in Huddersfield it is cloudy but to how we can maintain that supply as we move to an not cold, but the economic temperature is freezing: increasingly cashless society and protect those who are start-ups are not starting, the new creative businesses vulnerable and harder to serve, perhaps including the are putting everything on hold, and until they have hon. Lady’s constituents. some reassurance about Brexit, they will not move. Priti Patel (Witham) (Con): The Minister will know Robert Jenrick: If the hon. Gentleman wanted to give that Essex is the county of entrepreneurs. How are the greater certainty to businesses in his constituency, he Government supporting more small business creation, would support the deal. He did not do so in the recent alongside new housing schemes such as the garden vote, but I hope he will come forward and do so shortly. settlements that are proposed for the great county of I would not be so negative about the business community Essex? and the state of the economy in Yorkshire. We have record levels of employment, the jobs market is the Robert Jenrick: I concur with everything my right second best in the country and real wages are rising. In hon. Friend has said. This is of course a country of Yorkshire, real wages and household disposable income entrepreneurs. All our most recent statistics have shown are rising above the national average. that the UK is attracting entrepreneurs from around the world. We are the third leading destination in the world, Stephen Kerr (Stirling) (Con): Small and medium-sized after the US and China, for inward investment. That is businesses are the bedrock of Stirling’s economy and not happening by accident; it is happening as a result of the engine of the UK economy. What is being done in the pro-business policies of this Government, creating practical terms to help those businesses find the funding the most globally competitive tax regime and investing that they need to scale up? in our productivity.