Two of the region’s MPs have called on the Government to back an ambitious bid that could support more than 25,000 jobs a year tackling carbon emissions.

A joint statement from Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) and Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) said they were “100 per cent behind” the East Coast Cluster bid that was submitted by the Northern Endurance Partnership last week

The NEP has submitted their plan to the Government for carbon capture, usage and storage, known as CCUS, on behalf of the East Coast Cluster, a collaboration between Teesside and the Humber which account for nearly 50% of all UK industrial cluster emissions.

The Cluster offers a mix of low-carbon projects, including industrial carbon capture, low-carbon hydrogen production, negative emissions power, and power with carbon capture.

The MPs said: “This is one of the biggest and most ambitious cluster plans and as we have just said to the NEP, we will do all we can to support the bid and lobby the Government to support it.

“Not only will this bid make huge inroads in cutting emissions but the construction, steel production and manufacturing opportunities have the potential to create hundreds of well- paid, good quality jobs on Teesside. We will also champion the need to make sure local people benefit from these jobs.”