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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had on replacing the European Regional Development Fund after the UK leaves the EU to ensure that funding to English regions is maintained.

We will create the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) following our departure from the European Union. The new fund will tackle inequalities between communities by raising productivity, especially in those parts of our country whose economies are furthest behind.

We know that places require certainty of funding after we leave the European Union. The draft Withdrawal Agreement guarantees the UK will continue to take part in the 2014-2020 EU programmes until they end. We continue to plan for all scenarios, including a no deal, in which, the government has extended this guarantee for the full EU 2014-20 programme. This provides certainty and clarity in the event of a no-deal and allows for a smooth transition to a domestic replacement.

We will continue to engage widely ahead of a public consultation intended for later this year, providing all interested parties with an opportunity to convey their views. This will inform decisions on the operation and allocation of the UKSPF, which will be subject to the 2019 Spending Review.