The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 26th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer from Baroness Gustafsson on 11 March (HL5279):
- which rural partners they are engaging with as they design the industrial strategy.
- whether they are meeting rural partners to discuss the industrial strategy; and if so, which rural partners they have met so far.
Baroness Gustafsson (Lab, DBT): The Government recognises that it is essential that the industrial Strategy is informed by the experiences of the individuals, businesses, and local communities it will support. To achieve this, we have been engaging widely across the UK, including with regional stakeholders such as Devolved Governments, Mayoral Strategic Authorities, Pan-Regional Partnerships and Business Representation Organisations. Additionally, we have worked through our regionally based teams in England to engage with individual Local Authorities, key local businesses, and local networks and organisations in areas where our eight growth driving sectors are located. We are also considering over 3000 responses to the Industrial Strategy Green Paper Consultation, which has included representations from rural areas.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer from Baroness Gustafsson on 11 March (HL5279), whether “regional growth” mentioned in the Answer includes and accounts for sparsely populated areas or areas classified as predominantly rural.
Baroness Gustafsson: Regional growth is a core objective of this Industrial Strategy, which will be ambitious and targeted. It will unleash the full potential of our cities and regions, by concentrating efforts on clusters and city-regions with the greatest potential for our growth-driving sectors.
Clusters often cut across local government boundaries, sitting both within and outside of major cities, including extending into in rural areas – particularly for growth-driving sectors which require access to suitable land, water and other natural resources.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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