Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made a recent assessment of the ability of applicants to the Shared Prosperity Fund in Northern Ireland to demonstrate the compliance of their bids with state aid rules.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) recognises the importance of meeting its legal obligations and giving due regard to the additional equalities considerations that apply in Northern Ireland.
It is also DLUHC's responsibility to ensure that selected projects are state aid or subsidy control compliant.
The department's proposed delivery approaches for this priority are via councils and competitions for experienced deliverers of business support, who we anticipate will have sufficient expertise to provide credible applications taking account of state aid and subsidy control.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Northern Ireland Investment Plan for the Shared Prosperity Fund is consistent with the equality requirements under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) recognises the importance of meeting its legal obligations and giving due regard to the additional equalities considerations that apply in Northern Ireland.
It is also DLUHC's responsibility to ensure that selected projects are state aid or subsidy control compliant.
The department's proposed delivery approaches for this priority are via councils and competitions for experienced deliverers of business support, who we anticipate will have sufficient expertise to provide credible applications taking account of state aid and subsidy control.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will set out the timescale for the (a) start and (b) finish of the competition for economic inactivity support under the People and Skills strand of the Northern Ireland Investment Plan for the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As set out in the Plan we intend to invest significantly in projects that support individuals furthest from the labour market into sustainable employment.
The Plan sets out £42 million for economic inactivity support, with projects supporting cohorts including people with a disability or health condition expected to be supported. Information regarding a competition for this economic inactivity support will be announced shortly.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to support disability employment within the Northern Ireland Investment Plan for the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As set out in the Plan we intend to invest significantly in projects that support individuals furthest from the labour market into sustainable employment.
The Plan sets out £42 million for economic inactivity support, with projects supporting cohorts including people with a disability or health condition expected to be supported. Information regarding a competition for this economic inactivity support will be announced shortly.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to enable projects currently in receipt of European Social Fund support to bid for Shared Prosperity Fund support ahead of April 2023.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to Question UIN95919 on 29 November, we are considering the wider funding landscape, including activities funded via predecessor funds and other programmes, and the best way to deliver funding that addresses the needs of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the investment plan for the Shared Prosperity Fund in Northern Ireland will be published.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to Question UIN95919 on 29 November, we are considering the wider funding landscape, including activities funded via predecessor funds and other programmes, and the best way to deliver funding that addresses the needs of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his timescale is for the commencement of the People and Skills strand of the Shared Prosperity Fund in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will support the UK Government's wider commitment to level up all parts of the UK by delivering on each of the Levelling Up objectives. Northern Ireland's allocation between 2022-23 and 2024-25 is £105 million of core UKSPF funding and £22 million for Multiply, the UK's adult numeracy programme.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will pursue a varied approach to market in Northern Ireland. This could involve delivery at NI-scale, sub-regionally or locally, as well as commissioning or project competitions. The approach will be guided by the UKSPF Investment Plan for Northern Ireland. Further information on commissioning and project competitions will be published in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the procedure is for provision of funding for current ESF supported projects in Northern Ireland where they are identified as the most appropriate delivery route and in line with the Shared Prosperity Fund’s objectives.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will support the UK Government’s wider commitment to level up all parts of the UK by delivering on each of the Levelling Up objectives. In Northern Ireland the Fund will be delivered by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), working closely with Northern Ireland partners through a Partnership Group to design a Northern Ireland Investment Plan.
DLUHC will pursue a varied approach to market in Northern Ireland. This could involve delivery at NI-scale, sub-regionally or locally, as well as commissioning or project competitions. The approach will be guided by the UKSPF Investment Plan for Northern Ireland. Further information on commissioning and project competitions will be published in due course.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason SOLACE was used to provide local government representation on the UKSPF Northern Ireland Partnership Group rather than the Northern Ireland Local Government Association.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Northern Ireland UKSPF Partnership Group is convened by the UK government in collaboration with Northern Ireland partners, in order to jointly design the UKSPF Investment Plan for Northern Ireland. It is an officials-led group, bringing in local insight and expertise to ensure that the £127 million UKSPF allocation in Northern Ireland has maximum impact for local people. The views of elected representatives in Northern Ireland will be sought in due course.