§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to promote inward investment in the north west. [136916]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienUK Trade and Investment is charged with ensuring that the UK as a whole maintains its place as the number one destination in Europe for inward investment in the EU. It works with the North West Development Agency (NWDA) to provide a tailored service to encourage inward investment in the region. The NWDA uses a targeted approach to secure new investment in key sectors. This contributed towards the north west being the top UK region for job creation in 2002–03.