I was very disappointed to hear AstraZeneca’s decision, announced on Friday, to cancel their new £450 million facility at their Speke site. I know that the Government tried hard to support this investment but AstraZeneca have decided that the support offered is not sufficient. As far as I understand matters the promise from the previous Government, though announced, was not funded from available budgets.

I had hoped that an arrangement could be reached but that has unfortunately not happened. My understanding from the current Government is that there wasn’t an issue about money. I haven’t yet quite got to the bottom of what went on but I intend to do so.