GOV.UK Lorem

Over the past year, employment grew fastest in the North East; the claimant count fell fastest in Northern Ireland; pay grew most strongly in the West Midlands; and every UK nation and region saw a record number of people in work.

And from April 2017, the government will also provide a new 100% business rates relief for new full-fibre infrastructure for a 5 year period.

That’s slower, of course, than we would wish, but still equivalent to the IMF’s forecast for Germany, and higher than the forecast for growth in many of our European neighbours, including France and Italy.

A major increase in research and development funding for universities and businesses with R&D projects to help the UK remain an attractive place for businesses to invest in innovative research.

We will look carefully over the coming months at the functioning of key markets, including the retail energy market, to make sure they are functioning fairly for all consumers.