Yorkshire economy

That this House expresses its deep concerns about the regional economic imbalances in the UK and its impact on people on lower and middle incomes; notes that Yorkshire is one region that has been repeatedly held back economically due to the concentration of power in Westminster and the City of London; further notes that 263,507 children are living in poverty in Yorkshire, even though they often have at least one parent in work; highlights that 23 per cent of children in Yorkshire were on free school meals in 2021, 156,120 food parcels were distributed in that year and that now 3 in 5 Yorkshire parents think their children will be worse off than them; further highlights that median annual wages are nearly £10,000 a year less in Yorkshire than in London; believes that the future for many children in Yorkshire looks to be very difficult unless the Government takes real action now; further believes that regions not only require economic solutions but also need major political reform; calls on the Government to pursue large-scale investment in held back regions and to level up in a meaningful way, where decisions are made in Yorkshire, for Yorkshire by the people of Yorkshire.