Senior business leaders travelled to the House of Lords last week to highlight Cheshire’s vital contribution to the creation of a successful Northern Powerhouse.
Members of the prestigious Cheshire Business Leaders group, led by Chairman Neville Chamberlain CBE, were joined by seven Cheshire MPs and were welcomed in Parliament by Chancellor George Osborne.
Embassy officials from China and France, and representatives from the nuclear industry also attended.
The main focus of the discussions was on Cheshire’s nuclear credentials. Clive White, President of Amec Foster Wheeler's Clean Energy business, described Cheshire & Warrington as ‘the beating heart of the UK nuclear industry’ which supports more than 25,000 jobs.
He warned that although the nuclear industry could be a major catalyst for growth in the North West, the industry currently stands at a crossroads waiting for the UK to decide if it wants to commit to being a nuclear nation.
"We should aspire to create a Northern Nuclear Powerhouse,” he added.
George Osborne agreed that Cheshire is at the heart of the nuclear industry and pointed out the significance of the attendance at the meeting by the Chinese and French embassies.
"Fantastic investments are being made by both countries into the UK's nuclear industry. The UK is playing itself back into the nuclear game internationally,” he remarked.
Mr Osborne reminded delegates that although the Northern Powerhouse concept was initially focused on cities, counties - none more so than Cheshire - are central to its success.
During the discussions he suggested that Cheshire will potentially gain more from HS2 than any other part of Northern Powerhouse. It was vital, he said, that Cheshire makes the most of these opportunities.
He also suggested that a greater emphasis on science should be a key strategy for Cheshire & Warrington. Commenting on the Cheshire & Warrington Enterprise Partnership’s submission for Enterprise Zone status for its so-called Science Corridor, he noted that "we need to make the most of joining the dots across the sub-region.”
Mr Osborne added: "I applaud CBL’s efforts and its on-going contribution to amplifying Cheshire’s voice in this and other important economic debates.”
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