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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason the consultation on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has been postponed; and if he will make a statement.

The Government recognises the importance of reassuring local areas and providing clarity on the future of local growth funding once we have left the European Union. Over the past year we have held 22 engagement events across the UK, with representatives from a breadth of sectors, in order to aid the policy development of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. To build on these conversations, we intend to publish the full consultation document shortly.