News that Nissan will produce their electric car, the LEAF, in Sunderland was welcomed by the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson today (18 March).
Nissan to build UK’s first mass market electric car
- Government commits £20.7m grant to support Nissan investment in battery plant and car production
- Nissan investment of more than £420 million safeguards and creates 550 highly skilled engineering jobs at Sunderland
An extra £50 million is being given to councils to help them make big strides toward economic recovery in their local area, announced Communities Secretary John Denham today.
The funding is being allocated to all areas of the country from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives (LABGI) scheme that rewards councils which successfully promote local growth. In the East of England more than £5.5million funding is being allocated to eight sub-regions as follows:
Bedfordshire and Luton            £664,322
Heart of Essex                               £603,690
South west Essex                        £319,617
Hertfordshire                            £1,386,687
Peterborough and Lincs         £653,285
Norfolk                                            £632,833
Suffolk                                             £591,443
Thames Gateway                         £689,468
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced today (12 March) a €300 million (£270m) loan guarantee to GME Europe which will help secure the company’s operations in Britain and the rest of Europe.
Today’s outline agreement follows detailed and highly complex talks between the Government and GM.
The guarantee will be provided under the Government’s Automotive Assistance Programme. The British loan guarantee will be provided alongside extra support from GM in the US and support from other European governments.
The award was won by PD Ports for its Logical Link service – a coastal feeder container shipping service offering a next day connection between Felixstowe in the south of England and Teesport in the north, which runs three days per week.