Committee announces inquiry into Northern Ireland as an enterprise zone

Following on from the Committee’s current inquiry into corporation tax, the Committee will investigate developing Northern Ireland as an enterprise zone and scrutinise the Government’s proposals on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy, expected to be published at the end of 2010.

The Committee is particularly interested in hearing views on the following:

• How does an enterprise zone operate?
• Why should Northern Ireland be declared an enterprise zone?
• What should be included in any enterprise zone proposals?
• Are these proposals aimed at any particular sectors?
• Is there a priority as to what should be included?
• How long should the enterprise zone operate for and what aspects might be made permanent?
• Which aspects would be the responsibility of the UK Government and which would be the responsibility of the NI Executive?
• What worked well, and what did not work well, when there were enterprise zones previously in Northern Ireland?
• What lessons can we learn from enterprise zones, or similar initiatives to try and stimulate enterprise, in other countries?

The Committee invites any individual or organisation with an interest in this matter to submit written evidence in accordance with the guidelines stated below. Each submission should: 

• be no more than 3,000 words in length;
• have numbered paragraphs; and
• be in Word format or a rich text format with as little use of colour or logos as possible. Do not send PDFs.

A copy of the submission should be sent by e-mail to northircom@parliament.uk marked "Northern Ireland as an enterprise zone" and should arrive by Friday 21 January 2011.

If you wish to submit a paper copy, in addition to the electronic version, it should be sent to:

The Clerk of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
House of Commons
7 Millbank
London
SW1P 3JA

Further Information

Committee Membership is as follows: Mr Laurence Robertson MP (Chair), Mr Joe Benton MP, Oliver Colvile MP, Mr Stephen Hepburn MP, Kate Hoey MP, Lady Hermon MP, Ian Lavery MP, Naomi Long MP, Jack Lopresti MP, Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP, Ian Paisley MP, David Simpson MP, Mel Stride MP, Gavin Williamson MP.

Specific Committee Information: northircom@parliament.uk ; 020 7219 2173/2172

Media Information: Becky Jones email: jonesbl@parliament.uk ; 020 7219 5693

Committee Website: www.parliament.uk/niacom

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