COMMUNITIES Secretary Sajid Javid has promised that Blackburn with Darwen’s inclusion as one of five pilot boroughs in a £50million integration programme will boost government grants for skills.

He was responding in the House of Commons to Blackburn MP Kate Hollern who said extra cash was needed to tackle social and economic issues as part of promoting integration

Mr Javid said: “Our Green Paper talks about resources specifically for integration. However, that will help to leverage in other funding that is available for skills, perhaps, through the Department for Work and Pensions or the Department for Education and others.”