November 2022: regional growth update

We’re committed to ensuring your voice is heard in your region, and that real, practical change can be driven to boost productivity and prosperity. To do this, the CBI sits on business groups across Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the regions, making sure that businesses voice is central to their plans to drive growth across all English regions.

This monthly update gives the latest news from across the regions focused on the CBI Seize the Moment Priorities; to achieve net zero, driving innovation, putting business at the heart of UK trade policy shaping a more agile skills system, and instilling a culture of valuing health more as a nation.  

Latest headlines

• The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, will present an Autumn Statement on 17 November.  The government’s priority will be to show ‘how the books balance’ to give markets confidence and restore stability.  This is likely to involve significant tax rises and spending cuts to ensure debt levels in the UK start to fall over time.
• Plans for investment zones are due to be revised in the Autumn Statement. Speculation is that the zones will be dramatically scaled back or dropped in favor of a revamped urban regeneration policy.

Decarbonisation

• Yorkshire and the Humber: Thirty manufacturing companies from across the UK are taking part in a new programme to prepare for opportunities in the UKs future hydrogen and carbon capture economy. In the year long programme for the zero carbon Humber Partnership, the companies will work towards the Fit For Hydrogen and Fit For Carbon Capture, Using and Storage standards.
• Midlands: Energy Superhub has selected Coventry for its second site. The new battery site will support the decarbonisation of both energy and transport across the UK.
• London: A UK aviation consortium consisting of three airports (Heathrow, London City, HIAL), three manufacturers (GKN Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Cranfield Aerospace), three academic institutions (UCL, Cranfield and Southampton) supported by Deloitte and three airlines (easyJet, British Airways and Loganair), has published the most comprehensive study to date on the potential of a carbon free future for UK domestic aviation by 2040. 

Innovation

• South West: A new agri-tech partnership is launching in Gloucestershire to encourage growth and innovation in the sector. The Gloucestershire Agri-Tech Partnership is a collaboration between the county’s Local Enterprise Partnership, GFirst LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership); the food science and technology consultancy, Campden BRI; Hartpury University and College’s Agriculture Agri-Tech Centre and Tech Box Park; the Royal Agricultural University’s Farm 491; and the University of Gloucestershire’s Countryside & Community Research Group (CCRI).
• North West: Business secretary Grant Shapps used a visit to Manchester's Henry Royce Institute to announce a £95m boost to develop the super materials of the future. He visited the institute, that is based at Manchester University, in what was his first official trip since becoming Secretary of State for business, allowing him to emphasis his strong belief that R&D investment is an important way to turbocharge UK economic growth, as well as celebrate Manchester's position as an industrial powerhouse in the North.
• South East: A new £10 million global research and development centre has been opened by AkzoNobel in Slough. The new facility will be home to 120 specialists from across AkzoNobel's Research & Development business, including chemists and weather testing experts

Trade

• Yorkshire and the Humber: ABP has highlighted how the New Immingham ferry terminal will 'bring confidence to economy' with international trade investment. Up to four North Sea services a day could be operated from the proposed major infrastructure investment with Stena Line on the South Humber Bank, easing international trade.
• North East: North The region is to host a landmark green expo in which the Trade Secretary will outline plans to 'futureproof' economy. Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch MP is set to announce a three-pronged approach to using trade to ensure the UK is ready to tackle crucial global challenges ahead.
• East of England: MAG’s Stansted airport has launched their report ‘Connecting Cambridge to the World’. The report highlights the opportunities that the growth of new routes from Stansted could provide for the East of England.

Workforce

• Midlands: Plans have been submitted for a major business park forming part of a key employment area in Derby. The scheme, extending to more than 1.6 million sq. ft, is expected to create thousands of jobs.
• London: The Mayor of London has announced a £130 million support scheme to get Londoners in good work in key sectors, such as digital, hospitality and the green industry. As part of this scheme, adult skills providers in London, such as colleges, will be able to bid for grants of up to £5.4 million over three years to provide training to around 80,000 Londoners who are unemployed or in lower paid work, with a particular focus on those who are underrepresented across key industries.
• South West: Swindon’s new £21 million Institute of Technology has opened. The government-funded college brings to Swindon degree-level education and skills training with world-class high-tech equipment, which include engineering workshops, science laboratories, a film studio, recording studio, conference area and an e-sports lab.

Health

• North West: An initial investment of more than £1m has funded the opening of a new diagnostic health testing and screening venture at Sci-tech Daresbury's Innovation Centre.
• North East: The Department of Health & Social Care has today awarded Newcastle £23.1million of funding for its world-leading research in ageing and multiple long-term conditions.
• Yorkshire and the Humber: The Government has awarded around £10 million to Doncaster and Bradford as part of a plan to “level up the health of the nation”. The work, overseen by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), will enable future interventions to help with childhood obesity, Covid recovery, mental wellbeing and drug use.

How you can get involved

• In advance of the Autumn statement, we are keen to hear from Members about which infrastructure, R&D and other capital spend projects are critical to delivering growth in the regions. Please contact your regional policy advisor with your views.
• If you would like more information about the CBI Humber Cluster Demonstrator, please contact Alistair Craig.
• If you like further information about the Greater London LSIP (Local Skills Improvement Plan), please contact Simon Dishman.

Contact the Regional Growth Team

• Mark Goldstone – Head of Regional Policy
• Jake Morris – North East and Yorkshire and Humber
• Alex Guest -  North West
• Fleur Geernaert– South East and East of England
• Nicky Williams – South West
• Josh Male – Midlands
• Simon Dishman – London