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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of policies to tackle poverty in urban areas.

As a result of the Government's strong management, the British economy is growing faster than any other major advanced economy. Our businesses have created two million more jobs and living standards are rising. We are committed to supporting more people into work by making work pay - the Child Poverty Transitions report (June 2015) found almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of poor workless families who found work escaped poverty.

The National Living Wage will give over 2.7 million people currently on the minimum wage a pay rise of over £5,000 a year. Along with the increase in the personal allowance to £12,500 by the end of the Parliament, the National Living Wage will make work pay and improve people’s living standards

Through Devolution Deals and other programmes we are giving local areas increased flexibilities and powers to maximise their local economic growth to raise the opportunities for companies to grown and individuals to prosper.