It is a disturbing fact that they have fewer opportunities than their counterparts in more affluent parts of the country, and this needs to be addressed.

It cannot be acceptable that the young embarking on university courses and careers have worse chances of building successful lives because of economic inequalities or deprived backgrounds.

Besides the effect these factors have on individual prospects, they also hold the economy of the north back, which in its turn perpetuates the problems of a lack of social mobility.

This harmful cycle has to be broken, and so the report by the University of York and the Purpose Coalition, set up by Rotherham-born former Education Secretary Justine Greening, is most welcome.

Its point that the economic impact of the pandemic has aggravated the problems only makes it more imperative that they are tackled, and the issue of social mobility is put at the heart of the Government’s levelling-up agenda.

Last week’s betrayal of the north with the axing of the much needed HS2 line to Sheffield and Leeds and downgrading of plans for essential Northern Powerhouse rail has already called the credibility of that agenda into question.

If Boris Johnson is to persuade the north that he is serious about rebalancing the economy, he must commit to both creating greater social mobility and acknowledge that the CBI’s assertion today that economic clusters all over the country should be created or fostered is correct.

This region – and by extension, the entire country – cannot prosper if it is effectively left in the slow lane due to an unfair lack of investment.

We need to see Government action to both boost the economy and give young people the chances in life that they deserve.

Social mobility is essential to levelling up - The Yorkshire Post says