Kwarteng to announce plans for low-tax investment zones
Kwasi Kwarteng is set to announce the creation of low-tax, low-regulation investment zones in his mini-budget on Friday.
The Government is in talks with dozens of local authorities in England to set up zones.
The Chancellor is expected to tell the House of Commons: “The time it takes to get consent for nationally significant projects is getting slower, not quicker, while our international competitors forge ahead. We have to end this.
“To support growth right across the country, we need to go further, with targeted action in local areas.
“We will liberalise planning rules in specified agreed sites, releasing land and accelerating development.
“And we will cut taxes, with businesses in designated sites enjoying the benefit of generous tax reliefs”.
During the Tory leadership campaign, Prime Minister Liz Truss said investment zones would be central to her plan to boost growth.
More details on how areas can bid to take part will be set out by the Department for Levelling Up.
The Government is also considering converting the post-Brexit freeports introduced by Boris Johnson into investment zones, where further deregulation is expected.
The 38 areas in discussion to become an investment zone are:
– Blackpoolâ¯Council– Bedford Borough Council– Central Bedfordshireâ¯Council– Cheshire West and Chesterâ¯Council– Cornwallâ¯Council– Cumbriaâ¯County Council– Derbyshireâ¯County Council– Dorset Council– East Riding of Yorkshireâ¯Council– Essexâ¯County Council– Greater London Authority– Gloucestershireâ¯County Council– Greater Manchesterâ¯Combined Authority– Hullâ¯City Council– Kentâ¯County Council– Lancashireâ¯County Council– Leicestershireâ¯County Council– Liverpool City Region– North East Lincolnshireâ¯Council– North Lincolnshireâ¯Council– Norfolkâ¯County Council– North of Tyneâ¯Combined Authority– North Yorkshireâ¯County Council– Nottinghamshireâ¯County Council– Plymouthâ¯City Council– Somersetâ¯County Council– Southamptonâ¯City Council– Southend-on-Sea City Council– Staffordshireâ¯County Council– Stoke-on-Trentâ¯City Council– Suffolkâ¯County Council– Sunderlandâ¯City Council– South Yorkshireâ¯Combined Authority– Tees Valleyâ¯Combined Authority– Warwickshireâ¯County Council– West of Englandâ¯Combined Authority– West Midlandsâ¯Combined Authority– West Yorkshireâ¯Combined Authority