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 there are no representatives from the further education sector on the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund Northern Ireland Partnership Group.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Northern Ireland UKSPF Partnership Group is convened by the UK government in collaboration with Northern Ireland partners. The intention is to ensure broad representation of key partners and sectors. DLUHC are working with representative groups for key sectors, including the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education, skills and local authorities to develop the UKSPF Investment Plan.
Its membership will be reviewed on conclusion of the Investment Plan process, as the Fund moves into its delivery phase.
Alongside the Partnership Group, we are also engaging with a wider range of stakeholders, including the further education sector in Northern Ireland, to inform and influence the development of the Investment Plan. Our approach maximises local intelligence, insight and knowledge, in recognition of the opportunities and challenges unique to 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, how representation on the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund Northern Ireland Partnership Group was decided.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Northern Ireland UKSPF Partnership Group is convened by the UK government in collaboration with Northern Ireland partners. The intention is to ensure broad representation of key partners and sectors. DLUHC are working with representative groups for key sectors, including the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education, skills and local authorities to develop the UKSPF Investment Plan.
Its membership will be reviewed on conclusion of the Investment Plan process, as the Fund moves into its delivery phase.
Information on membership and a record of Partnership Group meetings are published on GOV.UK.
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, which organisations are represented on the Northern Ireland partnership group in relation to the Shared Prosperity Fund investment plan.
Answered by Lia Nici
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. 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 have established the Northern Ireland UKSPF Partnership Group with representative groups for key sectors, including the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education/skills and local authorities, as well as the Northern Ireland Office. A record of the first meeting, and subsequent meetings, will be published on GOV.UK in due course. We are also engaging with other stakeholders through workshops and meetings to maximise thematic and sectoral insight.
Its membership will be reviewed on conclusion of the Investment Plan process, as the Fund moves into its delivery phase. The organisations currently represented on the Northern Ireland Partnership Group are:
Organisation | Sector |
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) | UKG |
Northern Ireland Office | UKG |
Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) (Mid Ulster District Council) | Local government |
Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) (Belfast City Council) | Local government |
Queen’s University Belfast | Higher education/skills |
Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) | Voluntary and community |
Chief Officers Third Sector (CO3) | Voluntary and community |
NOW Group | Social enterprise |
Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce | Business |
Confederation of British Industry | Business |
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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of the timetable for commencement of the Shared Prosperity Fund on community and voluntary sector groups that are in receipt of European Social Fund resources.
Answered by Lia Nici
This Government recognises the role that EU Structural funding plays in supporting people and businesses up and down the UK. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will continue this through empowering places to identify local priorities and deliver investment for their communities, where it is needed most.
There remains a long tail of investment from EU Structural Funds, tapering off in 2024/25 to be replaced solely by UKSPF.
Lead authorities have the freedom to invest across a range of interventions, which includes specific support for community and voluntary sector groups. This funding can be backdated to the 1st April 2022. Further detail can be found on GOV.UK.
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 discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association on levelling up funding in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Officials within the department's Northern Ireland Area Team maintain engagement with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) on a monthly basis, with the Levelling Up Fund being a key part of that engagement. Alongside this, there is also regular official level engagement with NILGA and our DLHUC Local Government Engagement Team.
In March, the then Minister, Neil O'Brien, met with NILGA to discuss the department's levelling up ambitions and delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Northern Ireland.
The previous Secretary of State addressed the NILGA Executive in December 2021.
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 official in his department have held discussions with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive's Department for the Economy to help ensure that the Shared Prosperity Fund aligns with its Skills Strategy.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The UK Government engaged with departments across the Northern Ireland Executive on the design of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) ahead of publishing the Fund’s Prospectus on 13 April. In particular, officials in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities have engaged with departments across the Northern Ireland Executive so the UK Government can develop a list of interventions aligned to each of the three UKSPF investment priorities.
The UK Government will take a role in convening partners from across Northern Ireland to develop the UKSPF Investment Plan. We will refine the plan in consultation with stakeholders in a way that reflects the needs of Northern Ireland’s economy and society. This group could include representatives from Northern Ireland Executive Departments, local authorities, businesses and the community and voluntary sector.
As set out in the annex to the Prospectus on interventions in Northern Ireland, relevant plans and strategies in Northern Ireland will be considered as the UKSPF plan for Northern Ireland is developed, including, but not limited to, the draft Skills Strategy for 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 steps he has taken to engagement with the disability employment sector in Northern Ireland on the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Government has been engaging with key stakeholders on the design and priorities of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund since 2016, including holding a series of engagement events across the UK.
Since the publication of the UKSPF Heads of Terms at Spending Review 2020, officials have engaged widely on the UKSPF, across a wide range of sectors and organisations, including the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.
The UK Government will take a role in convening partners from across Northern Ireland to develop Northern Ireland’s UKSPF Investment Plan. We will refine the plan in consultation with stakeholders in a way that reflects the needs of Northern Ireland’s economy and society. This group could include representatives from Northern Ireland Executive Departments, local authorities, businesses and the community and voluntary sector.
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 Ukrainian nationals who have recently arrived in Northern Ireland via the Republic of Ireland, either knowingly or unknowingly, are eligible for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Ukrainian nationals who are already in the UK are not currently eligible for this scheme. I refer the Hon. Member to the FAQs published online at: www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions.
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 discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Minister for Communities on the Homes for Ukraine programme.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Ministers and officials are in regular discussions with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive.