Ben Howlett, the Member of Parliament for Bath, has welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement in the Autumn Statement that the West of England will have access to a £683 million fund for improvements to the region.
Speaking following the Autumn Statement, Ben said: “I would like to thank my Right Honourable Friend for listening to colleagues on our side who have long campaigned hard for more investment into Regional infrastructure.
“The £683 million to partly fund the South West regional Local Growth Fund and the £1.1 billion English transport fund will make a big difference to constituencies like mine in Bath but will he commit to working with the West of England devolved Authority and the new mayor to ensure that we better unlock productivity, more growth and also the jobs that we require over in the West of England?
In response the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, said: “That is of course as far as we are concerned the principal purpose of having the mayoral combined authorities, so that we have yet another leaver to drive productivity in the English regions.
“And I am sure my right hon friend the communities secretary will be very happy to work with him.”
Upon leaving the chamber Ben said: “I was pleased to listen to the Autumn Statement today, an Autumn Statement that provides a stable economic platform as the UK leaves the EU, setting out how we will support our economy as we begin writing this new chapter in our country’s history.
“I was also pleased that the Chancellor backed the Highways England support of the A36/46 link road bid and thanked Jacob Rees Mogg and myself for the work we have done to support the project.”