He spoke up for the city’s many companies which employ fewer than 250 people, in a special Parliamentary debate.
During the debate, which called for government support for such businesses, the MP for Milton Keynes North (pictured) dubbed Milton Keynes the ‘city of start-ups’, with five businesses moving into or expanding in the city each month.
He told colleagues that 72% of companies based in the city were set in the city and urged ministers to give them as much of a voice as the bigger corporates.
Many of the 10,000 employers in the city are small businesses and Mr Lancaster called on the government to give them a voice in the formation of the Local Enterprise Partnerships, which will drive forward regional growth.
He said this could be done by allocating funds not only to the Chambers of Commerce, but also to the Federation of Small Businesses, which locally is led by his predecessor Cllr Brian White.
Mr Lancaster said: “We may be the HQ of headquarters in Milton Keynes, known for being home to Mercedes, Argos and Marshall, to name a few. But we are primarily the home of small and medium-sized businesses.
They are the lifeblood of our local economy and I want to ensure that they drive forward the growth of the city and are recognised for their enormous contribution.”