Levelling Up Fund: Tipton and Wednesbury

Part of the debate – in Westminster Hall at 4:00 pm on 15 March 2023.

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Photo of Jane Stevenson Jane Stevenson Conservative, Wolverhampton North East 4:00, 15 March 2023

I commend my hon. Friend for all his work. I know how hard he fights for his constituents. Even before we were elected to this place, he and I were both so passionate about the levelling up of the Black Country, and we were both elected on the hyper-local ticket of changing these communities. In Wolverhampton North East, we have seen Government investment into the city of Wolverhampton, and I welcome that.

I absolutely agree with him about the announcement of the devolution deal. Having Andy Street there to work with our Labour and Conservative authorities in the west midlands is key to the Government’s pledge to level up. I ask the Minister to look at Wolverhampton’s remaining levelling-up bid. Today’s funding has gone to one of our outstanding bids in Bilston. I welcome that, but I ask her to look kindly on the one in Wolverhampton North East, our green innovation corridor, which will unlock more jobs. I want to ask my hon. Friend Shaun Bailey if he will celebrate the devolution deal and admit that more has to be done to accelerate that. Our communities need the change very quickly.