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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if Ministers of his Department will publish (a) written guidance and (b) discussions on the role and rules for hon. Members sponsoring bids in the Levelling Up Fund.

The Levelling Up Fund prospectus published at Budget provides guidance for local areas on how to submit bids for the first round of funding for projects starting in 2021-22. This includes guidance on the process for submitting bids, the types of projects eligible for funding, and how bids will be assessed. Further detail on this process was made available subsequently via both a technical note and a frequently asked questions document, the former of which specifically discusses the role of MPs in the bidding process.

The Government recognises the important role of MPs in championing the interests of their constituents, and taking on a positive role in prioritising bids and helping broker local consensus within their communities. We expect bidding authorities to consult local MPs as part of submitting bids for the Levelling Up Fund, and support and engagement from local stakeholders and local MPs will be considered as part of the strategic fit assessment; however, such support from local MPs is not a necessary condition for a successful bid.

As part of the bidding process, MPs have the option of providing formal written support for one bid which they see as a priority. The lead authority must submit that letter of priority support along with their application, and a bid may have priority support from multiple MPs and local stakeholders. In addition to formally backing one bid, MPs may also want to support any or all schemes that would have a benefit to their constituencies as part of the wider stakeholder input process. Individual MPs should not provide a letter offering their priority support to more than one bid. Information on the role of MPs in future bidding rounds of the Fund will be confirmed after funding has been announced for bids from the first funding round.

There are no plans to publish further guidance on the role of MPs in supporting Levelling Up Fund bids.