Cabinet to meet in North East for first time

As the Prime Minister prepares to host her Cabinet meeting in Gateshead, the government is likely to lay legislation to make £600 million North of Tyne Devolution Deal a reality.

The Cabinet meeting will focus on implementing the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, making sure the government delivers a Brexit deal works for every corner of the UK, as well as the pivotal role of Local Enterprise Partnerships in boosting growth across the Northern Powerhouse.

As part of this, Prime Minister Theresa May is set to confirm the legislation to formally conclude the North of Tyne Devolution Deal with Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside. The deal, which marks an unprecedented transfer of powers from central government to local people in the North of Tyne, is worth £600 million over 30 years and is expected to generate 10,000 new jobs in the region.

Further funding is likely to come from an investment of up to £780 million for major upgrades to the East Coast Main Line from 2019, alongside £180 million to drive forward innovation and cutting-edge research in the field of Offshore Renewable Energy Innovation and the High-Value Manufacturing Catapults, which has major facilities in the region.

May said: “Making Britain a country that works for everyone, in urban and rural regions, is a priority for my government - and a thriving economy across the Northern Powerhouse is central to that. We have set out major policies and investments as part of our Modern Industrial Strategy to unlock the potential in the North - and more than any government in history, we are making sure that we are delivering the outcomes that really matter to people who live and work here.”