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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus, published in August 2022, whether (a) leaders of local councils and (b) the leader of Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to have full involvement and sight of UK Shared Prosperity Fund bid proposals before they are submitted.

In England, Scotland and Wales, local government (including mayoral combined authorities) has responsibility for developing an Investment Plan for consideration by the UK Government, and responsibility for delivery of the fund thereafter – including assessing and approving project applications, processing payments and day-to-day monitoring. This recognises that pride in place can be best achieved by delivery close to local people and businesses, by authorities that understand each place’s unique local context.

Lead local authorities are tasked with working with a diverse range of local and regional stakeholders, civil society organisations, employer bodies responsible for identifying local skills plans, and businesses or business representative groups to achieve Fund outcomes in their areas. In guidance, we set out the types of groups we would suggest are involved in the delivery of the fund, but the precise composition will be for each place to determine, based on their needs.