HE IS the latest high-profile figure to visit the city to see projects driving Hull towards a bright future.
With a visit to Saltend to launch biofuel company Vivergo Fuels, followed by a tour of Hull College, Business Secretary Vince Cable was given a taste of how Hull is fast becoming one of the country's most pioneering cities.
His focus at the college was on the work it is doing to train the future workforce within the construction industry.
Mr Cable was joined by CBI director general John Cridland throughout the day, taking time out to speak to students and answer questions relating to the key developments in the region.
Q How does the Government see Hull's importance in terms of the UK's future energy strategy?
A With oil and gas reserves declining, the UK must have safe, secure and future-proof supplies of energy that are available to all. Hull and the wider Humber area could lead the way in renewing and guaranteeing our energy supply.
You have the land, workforce and commitment necessary for the offshore wind industry to flourish here.
That's why the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has, quite rightly, made this a key element of its economic strategy.
It estimates that within the next five years, there is the potential to create 22,500 long-term skilled jobs and 3,400 construction jobs, with significant knock-on effects for businesses in the local supply chain.
Q Local MPs, businesses and the LEP are working hard to promote the Humber as the UK's energy estuary – is this message reaching London and further afield?
A The message is reaching London loud and clear and we are committed to supporting the development of the offshore wind industry in the Humber.
That is why we have recognised the Humber as one of six Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering.
We have also granted the largest enterprise zone in the country, equivalent to 780 football pitches, focused on renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. Businesses that locate to the enterprise zone will benefit from tax relief, easier planning as well as superfast broadband.
Of the £77m regional growth Fund money invested in projects across the Humber, about £36m is specifically aimed at infrastructure, skills development and inward investment.
All these will help support the offshore wind industry.
Q How are you expecting the A63/Castle Street improvements to affect business in Hull?
A This Government is committed to supporting economic growth through investing in infrastructure and has already announced an ambitious plan of work since coming to office.
In last month's spending review, the Government announced the biggest upgrade of our strategic national roads network, tripling annual investment on major road enhancements from today's level to more than £3bn by 2020-21.
The main impact of the A63/Castle Street improvements will be improving access to and the economic viability of the Port of Immingham.
In turn, this will reduce congestion for businesses along the route, making it easier for them to transport their goods and for customers to access shops and facilities.
The project will also reduce severance between the city centre and the leisure facilities to the south of the A63 Castle Street, providing a better connected city centre.
Q The focus on apprenticeship schemes is growing in Hull. How do you envisage the apprenticeship market to evolve in the future?
A In tough economic times, investment in skills has to be a priority.
I took the decision to prioritise money on apprenticeships so employers can access the talent they need and young people can find meaningful employment. As a result, we have seen more than a million apprenticeship starts since the beginning of this Government.
The Humber region has seen significant rises in numbers and last year saw about a 10 per cent increase on the previous year.
We are improving the quality of apprenticeships and making them more focused around business needs.
So we have stipulated that no apprenticeship will last less than 12 months and accepted recommendations from the entrepreneur Doug Richard which will allow employers to design their own apprenticeships.
This will mean that if businesses have niche skills gaps – perhaps to enable the manufacture of offshore wind components – we will support them to develop bespoke training.
Q How do you think the proposals to cut Humber bridge tolls altogether will affect businesses in Hull?
A We have demonstrated a real commitment to improving the economy of the Humber by writing off a big chunk of the bridge toll debt.
The Humber Bridge toll reduced from £3 to £1.50 in April last year following our decision to write off £150m of debt, reducing it from £332m to £182m.
This has led to an 18 per cent increase in traffic across the bridge, which is great news for business.
I am aware that the LEP is keen to commission a new study examining the benefits of making the bridge completely toll-free.
Q Why are rural areas not getting support to get internet access?
A Fast, reliable broadband internet access is essential for homes throughout the country to benefit from online services and for UK businesses to compete globally.
Some areas of the UK have access to faster broadband speeds than others, with many rural areas receiving far lower speeds than cities and urban areas.
That is why for rural areas, the Government is investing £530m of funding, leveraging a total of about £1.2bn public funding These projects should deliver universal standard broadband (speeds of 2Mbps or more) and 90 per cent superfast broadband availability by early 2016.
Q How is the government planning to supporting independent retailers who cannot afford to pay the rates local councils are demanding?
A The Government recognises the vital contribution of independent retailers. They bring character and variety to the high street and can become the leading brands of the future.
Morrisons supermarket, for example, started life as an egg and butter stall in Bradford market.
For small retailers, a wide range of support is now available to help manage payment of business rates.
You can receive small business rate relief on properties with a rateable value of up to £12,000, with no rates charged at all on properties up to £6,000. If your property's rateable value is under £18,000 then you will save money by being charged according to the small business multiplier, instead of the standard.
If you are setting up within an enterprise zone, such as the Humber Estuary Renewable Energy Super Cluster and the Green Port Corridor, you can potentially have your rates waived entirely for five years.
There are also a number of discounts available to rural businesses and charitable organisations.
