THE government is considering giving the North of England its own powerful department with income tax raising powers, Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry has revealed.

He said the ideas were being examined as the government collected evidence on future regional policy after Brexit.

The Northern Powerhouse minister revealed the possibility in a weekend newspaper interview.

Mr Berry said: : "With so much economic growth, it is time for the government to consider a department for the north of England, with its own secretary of state.

"Liverpool once had its own Whitehall office, so it is not unprecedented to have a department based outside London.

"We should not close our minds to the localisation of taxation.

"A big complaint is that money is being invested more in London and the south than in the north. Taxes raised in the north could be spent in the north and we should not close our minds to varying income tax at a local level.

"Many people across the north of England voted to leave the EU. There was a feeling of disempowerment and a lack of control of their lives. Northerners who voted for Brexit don't want those powers to be taken from the EU and stop at Whitehall."

The Scottish government already has powers to vary and raise taxes.

Mr Berry told the Lancashire Telegraph: "We are gathering evidence on what should happen after Brexit.

"We are looking for next big idea.

"The government is exploring whether the north should have its own department and whether that department should have tax varying powers.

"At some point in the future that would be my personal preference.

"We want the north to be the engine of UK growth after Brexit."