16

Historical bias towards London in inward investment job forecasts now addressed by proactive promotion.

Conclusion
We asked the Department why there is such a bias towards London in the number of jobs forecast to be created, noting that for London this figure is 16,000, which is more than the combined total for Scotland, the north-east of England, north-west England and Yorkshire and the Humber.38 The Department said that in the past, the support it offered was reactive to where businesses wanted to invest. This was often in London and the South East because these were the areas overseas investors knew most about, but now the Department identifies and promotes opportunities across the country.39
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 24 September 2023. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document.

Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 3.3 yrs
Report published 09 Jun 2023