Responding to news of the £150m for the British Business Bank’s Regional Angels Programme, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the BCC, said:

“Improving the quality and reach of early-stage finance is crucial for levelling up economic opportunity across all nations and regions of the UK.

“We are therefore pleased that the Chancellor listened to our call to support the British Business Bank’s Regional Angels programme. The funding will help ensure some of our most promising young companies across the UK get access to the finance they need to support their growth journey.

“Ministers must continue to ensure that the programme has sufficient funding capacity to meet any future surge in demand.”