Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Regional Inequality

Monday 16 November 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister stated that over 7.2 billion has been given directly to councils since the start of the pandemic.
  • Sheffield city region received 127 million in un-ringfenced covid emergency funding.
  • Kate Hollern highlighted disproportionate impact of austerity measures on northern council budgets.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Dan Jarvis Lab Barnsley North
Local Government
Context

Since the start of the pandemic, local authorities have received significant funding to tackle regional inequality. Sheffield city region has received £127 million in un-ringfenced covid emergency funding and an increase in core spending power.

Question

What steps he is taking to ensure that local authority funding is used to tackle regional inequality.

Answer from Luke Hall

Since the start of the pandemic, we have given over £7.2 billion directly to councils. Sheffield city region has received £127 million in un-ringfenced covid emergency funding, on top of an increase in core spending power of over £70 million this year, and it is set to benefit further from the latest round of support for the November lockdown. Households in the most deprived areas in England receive nearly three times as much spending per home as those in the least deprived areas.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response did not specify steps taken to ensure funding is used effectively for tackling regional inequality, instead focusing on total amounts and distribution patterns.

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Q2 Dan Jarvis Lab Barnsley North
Economy Transport Local Government
Context

South Yorkshire has received £363 million from the local growth fund since 2015, which created jobs and supported investment from companies such as Boeing and McLaren.

Question

I thank the Minister for that response. He will know that since 2015, South Yorkshire has received £363 million from the local growth fund—money that has created 15,000 jobs, funded the revitalisation of town centres and supported investment from companies such as Boeing and McLaren. What plans does his Department have to extend this crucial pipeline of funding beyond next March, so that Mayors and local leaders can rebuild their economies?

Answer from Luke Hall

I thank the hon Gentleman for his question, and for working so constructively with Government throughout this pandemic. He is right to highlight the importance of local growth funding to places and people up and down this country. The Budget this year did confirm up to £387 million in 2021-22 to provide certainty for local areas, which allows them to continue with existing priority local growth fund projects that require funding past this financial year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response provided some information about future funding but did not specify concrete plans or extensions beyond March 2021.

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Q3 Kate Hollern Lab
Economy Local Government
Context

Communities in the north have faced disproportionate impact on council budgets, such as a 50% cut in Blackburn, which has reduced resilience to the covid crisis and economic recovery.

Question

When a Conservative Chancellor delivered his austerity Budget a decade ago, he said we are “all in this together”, yet the reality has been far from that, with communities in the north seeing a disproportionate impact on council budgets—in Blackburn, cut by over 50%—dramatically reducing our resilience to the covid crisis and our ability to recover and bounce back. Can the Minister assure the country that the Government will not break their promises again, and that his Department will take real action to address the health and economic inequalities in the north?

Answer from Luke Hall

I disagree with the hon. Lady's assertions. The council self-reported covid costs through September stand at £3.6 billion. We have provided £7.2 billion on top of our sales fees and charges scheme, which recoups councils with 75% of their lost income past that first 5%. The hon. Lady's own council has had £87 million in funding, £15 million in additional un-ringfenced covid funding and £1.37 million in test and trace support.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response refuted the questioner's assertions but did not provide a concrete commitment or assurance regarding future actions to address inequalities.

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