Economic Growth: North-East
Tuesday, 8 April 2025
Contributions
Emma Foody (Cramlington and Killingworth) (Lab/Co-op)Labour (Co-op)
5. What steps she is taking to increase economic growth in the north-east.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Emma Reynolds)Labour
Securing economic growth across the country is the Government’s No. 1 mission. We are working in partnership with the Mayor of the North East, providing the North East combined authority with an integrated funding settlement from ’26-27, and working with it on its local growth plan.
The combined authority has identified a key growth corridor sweeping across my constituency, but a historical lack of investment to upgrade the Moor Farm and Seaton Burn roundabouts causes relentless disruption and holds back growth, investment and opportunity. There is a business plan in the north-east growth plan and in the road investment strategy. Does the Minister agree that that is exactly the sort of scheme that this Labour Government should support to boost economic growth in every region?
The Government are committed to improving roads. We agreed a £4.8 billion settlement for National Highways and funded a £500 million uplift for local roads in this financial year. Funding for the RIS3 programme, which my hon. Friend mentioned, will be considered in phase 2 of the spending review, and I encourage her to continue to engage with the Minister for roads on this issue.
John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)Conservative
rose—
Mr SpeakerSpeaker
I presume Mr Lamont thinks it is north-east Scotland, rather than north-east England.
This Government decided to cancel the A1 upgrade, which will harm the economy not just in the north-east of England, but in the south of Scotland. What economic impact assessment did the Government make before deciding to cancel that vital road link?
Nice try. In terms of north-east growth, I have already said that we are working very closely with the Mayor of the North East combined authority. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman asks questions about roads relevant to his part of the country at Transport questions.
I now call the Minister to answer Alistair Carmichael’s question on the potential impact of changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief on farmers, which was omitted in error from earlier versions of the Order Paper.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 4890498.