Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the rate of economic growth in (a) the South East, (b) West Sussex and (c) Mid Sussex. [116410]

Mark Prisk MP; Minister of State for Business and Enterprise [holding answer 10 July 2012]: The most suitable data to assess sub-national economic growth is the Regional Gross Value Added (GVA) data produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The latest comparable data available is for 2009 which shows that total GVA in the South East stood at £179,317 million, a decrease of 2.0% on the previous year. The total GVA for West Sussex was £15,237 million in 2009, which was a 2.5% decrease on the previous year.

Between 1997 and 2009, the total GVA for West Sussex increased at an annual rate nominal rate of 3.9%. This compares to average annual change in the South East over the same period of 4.7%.

It is not possible to provide equivalent data at the Mid-Sussex level.