Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce deprivation in the North East.

We have provided over £881 million to support local regeneration projects across the towns and cities of the North East.

This figure includes over £270 million provided through the three rounds of the Levelling Up Fund, over £276 million supporting high streets and Town Deals in eleven places across the North East, and £120 million for six towns included in the recently-announced Long Term Plan for Towns.

We are also giving people in the North East the tools needed to shape a better future. In May, the North East will become the first region in England fully covered by mayoral combined authorities. These mayors will take on leadership and responsibility for long-term investment funds totalling £1.85 billion, making a direct impact on economic growth and tackling deprivation.