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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the consultation on the Shared Prosperity Fund has not yet been launched; and if he will make a statement.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will be designed to reduce inequalities between communities by raising productivity, especially in places that are furthest behind.

We are continuing to develop its design and priorities to ensure that we get it right. As part of this, we 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.