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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Levelling Up Fund bids from category two towns will be assessed in the same way as those in category one; and whether capacity funding will be available to support prospective bidders from category two.

All bids to the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) are being assessed against the published criteria. A place's category will be taken into account in the appraisal as part of the 'characteristics of place' criterion, as set out in the LUF prospectus and technical guidance. To support those areas measured as having the 'highest need', capacity funding will be allocated to those local authorities to assist them to develop high-quality bids for the Fund, as well as all local authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.