[2] It supported the development of business in the region by encouraging public and private investment in education, skills, environment and infrastructure.

This included prominent physical development activity, with high-profile processes in most of the region's major towns and cities.

However, growth has not been sufficient to begin closing the productivity gap between Yorkshire and the Humber and either the London or South East regions.

In the Liberal Democrat-Conservative's Emergency Budget of 22 June 2010, it was announced that regional development agencies such as Yorkshire Forward were set to be abolished as part of the programme of radical spending cuts to reduce the UK's national deficit.

[3] Following a government review, some of Yorkshire Forward's responsibilities passed to a series of new 'Local Enterprise Partnerships' across the area.