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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing Pillar 2 CAP funding for England through the proposed UK Shared Prosperity Fund after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will be a new fund which affords a fresh opportunity to spend money according to our own priorities rather than those set by the EU.

We want to ensure that the UKSPF is designed to support rural economies and communities.

We intend to consult on the design and priorities of the UKSPF later this year. This will inform decisions on the operation and allocations of the Fund which will be taken as part of the 2019 Spending Review.