Metro mayors appear at Business Committee ‘Levelling up’ inquiry

• Parliament TV: Post-pandemic economic growth: Levelling up - local and regional structures and the delivery of economic growth
• Inquiry: Post-pandemic economic growth: Levelling up - local and regional structures and the delivery of economic growth
• Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Committee

Likely areas of questioning

The session on Thursday is likely to look at questions around whether metro-mayors have sufficient tools and powers to advance the ‘levelling up’ agenda, how ‘levelling up’ can be effectively targeted and success measured and where new investment can pave the way for regional growth.

The hearing is also likely to pick up on the impact Covid-19 might have on the levelling up agenda, including questions around the Government’s approach to supporting businesses in light of restrictions on trading.

The BEIS Committee’s inquiry will be looking at how local and regional government structures in England (including the role of powerhouses, local enterprise partnerships and growth hubs, city and regional mayoralties, and councils) could be reformed or better equipped to deliver growth locally.

Witnesses

Thursday 22^nd October

10.30am:

• Rt Hon Andy Burnham, Mayor, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• Jamie Driscoll, Mayor, North of Tyne Combined Authority
• Tim Bowles, Mayor, West of England Combined Authority
• Steve Rotheram, Mayor, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Levelling-up inquiry – evidence sessions so far…

The BEIS Committee’s opening evidence session for its ‘levelling-up’ inquiry took place on Thursday 1^st October where it heard from local government and from regional business voices. The introductory session on Thursday looked at questions around what is ‘levelling up’, the evidence base and how it can be measured, how ‘levelling up’ can be effectively targeted and investment in skills and R&D. The hearing also covered questions around the Shared Prosperity Fund and local funding post-Brexit, and how the Government’s Infrastructure Delivery Taskforce, ‘Project Speed’, can support the levelling-up agenda.

Levelling up sub-inquiry & the overall Post-pandemic economic growth inquiry

The Post-pandemic economic growth inquiry, launched in June, is an over-arching inquiry likely to run through the Parliament and will include a series of sub-inquiries examining issues such as devolution and the ‘levelling-up’ agenda,  the role Government might play as a shareholder or investor in businesses in the future, and the measures needed to rebuild consumer confidence and stimulate economically and environmentally sustainable growth. Further terms of reference for these sub-inquiries will be published during the course of the Parliament.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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