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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on what date his Department first received an initial copy of the independent assurance review into the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s oversight of the South Tees Development Corporation and Teesworks Joint Venture.

This review was established at the request of the Mayor of Tees Valley to establish the truth behind the very serious allegations of corruption and illegality made by the member for Middlesbrough. The review will have provided you with the opportunity to present any evidence to the panel to substantiate these serious allegations.

The timing of the review is dictated by the independent panel.

The department is a key consultee for the panel’s fact-checking process. Officials received an early working draft to offer solely factual comment in late November 2023. No drafts have been shared with ministers. We have not received the final report, which is independent of this department, and our officials do not have a say on its findings.

It would not be appropriate to release correspondence between the panel and officials while the report is being finalised.

We understand that the report is of interest to Parliament and the public and hope to be able to publish it shortly.