This month, the local government finance settlement passed through this House, delivering a 4.6% rise in core spending power to councils across the country. For England, we are committed to putting funding where there is relative need, irrespective of location, which is why councils in the most deprived areas receive 16% more in grant funding than least deprived areas.

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for the constructive way in which he continues to work with the Government. The levelling-up fund is worth £4 billion, invested in infrastructure such as new bypasses, railway station upgrades, museums, libraries, high streets and town centres. We will publish a prospectus soon, providing £220 million of additional UK funding next year for communities to pilot programmes in preparation for the UK shared prosperity fund.

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. We have given Wales £5.2 billion of guaranteed up-front funding this year and an additional £650 million for the Welsh Government to support public services affected by covid-19. Local government is a devolved responsibility, so it is for the Welsh Government to decide how to use these substantial funds.

I can certainly assure the hon. Lady that the UK shared prosperity fund will help level up and create opportunity right across our country in places most needing it, be they ex-industrial areas, deprived towns or rural communities, and for people facing labour market barriers. The fund operates UK-wide using new financial assistance powers from the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, with funding reaching about £1.5 billion a year.