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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms are in place to enable the Government to assess whether funding will be agreed for specific European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund projects signed since the Autumn Statement 2016; how such projects will be assessed against the two criteria of value for money and alignment with domestic priorities; and whether such assessments will be undertaken before or after agreements have been signed.

DCLG and DWP assess funding applications for the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund and draw on the advice of local partners to ensure that they meet robust criteria on value for money and support for domestic priorities before contracts are agreed.