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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to end match-funding in the successor policy to the European Social Fund programme.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will be the domestic successor to the EU Structural Fund programme.

The November 2020 Spending Review set out the main strategic elements of the UKSPF in the Heads of Terms. The UKSPF profile will be set out at the next Spending Review, and we will publish further details in a UK-wide Investment Framework later in 2021.

In addition, to help local areas prepare over 2021/22 for the introduction of the UKSPF, we will provide £220 million additional funding under the UK Community Renewal Fund to support our communities to pilot programmes and new approaches.

The Fund aims to support people and communities most in need, and will invest in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment.