Written question asked by Chi Onwurah (Labour) on Monday, 4 July 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 July 2016 (named day). It was answered by Anna Soubry (Conservative) on Thursday, 7 July 2016 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Employment: North East

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to protect employment levels in the North East from the potential (a) immediate effect of the UK voting to leave the UK and (b) the short to long-term effect of the UK leaving the EU.

Answer: The employment rate for the country as a whole is at a record high. Government is committed to ensuring that UK remains open for business, and continues to grow and thrive. The North East continues to have a positive balance of trade, with links to the global market as well as into the European Union. Government will continue to work with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver its Strategic Economic Plan, ‘More and Better Jobs’, which aims to build prosperity in the North East by increasing the skills base and creating more businesses.

Secondary information