Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to deploy UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding in the North East.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers.

The November 2020 Spending Review set out the main strategic elements of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the Heads of Terms.  The Government will publish a UK-wide investment framework later this year and confirm funding profiles at the next Spending Review.

In addition, to help local areas prepare over 21/22 for the introduction of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we are providing additional UK funding through the UK Community Renewal Fund to support our communities to pilot programmes and new approaches.