Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy what plans the Government has made on its plans for a UK Shared Prosperity Fund; what the Government's planned timeframe is for (a) the whole introduction of the fund and (b) introducing draft legislation; what he plans the scope of that fund will be; and what consultation and input in plans to seek from the devolved administrations on that fund.

The Government will create the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to boost productivity and reduce economic inequality across the country following our departure from the European Union.

As announced in the Industrial Strategy white paper, the Government will consult widely on the design of the new Fund in 2018. We will work with devolved administrations prior to public consultation.