News - 22 May 2020

LEPS hold talks between Business and Government on safe economic recovery

Local business leaders from across the country put their views to government ministers on how they are implementing the safe return to work and helping build the recovery in a series of virtual roundtables led by Local Enterprise Partnerships.

The roundtables include business chiefs from the following economic areas: the Western Gateway and Great South West, Northern Powerhouse, Oxford Cambridge Arc, Buckinghamshire, and New Anglia, the Midlands, and the Southern Region.

D2N2 Chair Elizabeth Fagan is co-leading the Midlands roundtable discussion with colleagues from the West Midlands.

With over 800,000 businesses and a workforce of 5.8 million, some forecasts project the economies of both the East and West Midlands shrinking by 10% in the coming months as the economic shock brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic takes hold.

The events saw employers put their questions direct to the Minister for Business and Industry, Nadhim Zahawi MP, the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP, and the Minister for Small Business, Paul Scully MP.

The Minister for Business and Industry, Nadhim Zahawi MP, said: “The Government is providing record levels of support to businesses to cushion the impact of this pandemic, and we are committed to helping the UK get back to work in a safe and secure manner.”

“These roundtables with Local Enterprise Partnerships provide a vital opportunity to safeguard regional growth, listen to the concerns of local businesses about COVID-19, and discuss how we can implement the phases of the recovery in every corner of the UK.”

Economic Recovery

Many of the businesses are SMEs with employers from a wide range of sectors including those facing some of the biggest economic challenges in the areas of tourism, leisure, hospitality, education, and health industries.

A range of issues were discussed including COVID-19 support, the challenges faced by retail and hospitality industry, devolution, continued investment in skills and local transport networks, role of ports, tv and film production, rural economies, the role of digital technology, and capitalising on some of the environmental benefits of lockdown such as low carbon industries.

Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke MP, said: “The coronavirus pandemic will leave a lasting impact on all our regions. We are going to overcome these challenges and it is fundamental that we understand local concerns so that we can help our regions expedite the restart of their economies.”

“Our determination to level up the country is only reinforced by the scale of the challenge we now confront.”

Latest News & Events

19 July 2024

Local business support boosted with launch of Early Stage Angel Investment Fund

Read Article

21 June 2024

Spotlight on our Board: Scott Knowles, Chief Executive, East Midlands Chamber, on the D2N2 LEP transition and East Midlands devolution

Read Article

11 June 2024

The D2N2 LEP staff team joins the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)

Read Article

07 June 2024

Becky Rix, Marketing Director at Roadgas, explains why Roadgas is a proud member of the East Midlands Hydrogen Consortium

Read Article

05 June 2024

Spotlight on our Board: D2N2 LEP Board Member Natasha Johnson, Director of Partnerships at Global Entrepreneurs UK

Read Article

05 June 2024

Free Expert Business Advice and Support available through East Midlands Chamber’s Accelerator Programme

Read Article

03 June 2024

Spotlight on our Board: D2N2 LEP Board Member Professor Edward Peck CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President, Nottingham Trent University

Read Article

24 May 2024

Focus on the East Midlands: our time is NOW!

Read Article

24 May 2024

D2N2 LEP CEO, Will Morlidge, shares our East Midlands Hydrogen ambitions at UKREiiF

Read Article

24 May 2024

East Midlands Freeport and Freeport East Sign Green Freight Corridor Initiative at UKREiiF

Read Article

Get in touch.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up
Address

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership
8 Experian Way
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
NG2 1EP

Social

Our Partners