Report on how to '˜transform north'

Powerhouse 2050: The North’s Routemap for Productivity sets out fully-costed, evidence-based proposals for four areas of northern excellence which could, with government funding and business support, rival the best countries and regions in the world.

This includes £100million to reinforce the north as the UK leader in health data.

Months of research, workshops and engagement with more than 500 business of all sizes, universities, interest groups and many others by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership revealed the steps needed to be taken to make the north’s prime capabilities – advanced manufacturing & materials, energy, digital and health innovation – world-class.

Others steps needed include £2billion to replace the entire gas network of Leeds with hydrogen, produced in the Tees Valley, which would significantly contribute to the UK’s 2050 and Paris Agreement commitments on reducing carbon emissions; £60million for the North to be the first region in the UK to commit fully to industrial digitisation – how UK manufacturing can increase its use of digital technology, such as the internet of things, and automation to become more productive and competitive; and £1billion to creating a new northern industry in small nuclear reactors, capable of being manufactured at a plant and brought to a site to be built and allowing for better nuclear material security.