Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Levelling-up Agenda

Monday 28 June 2021 · 2 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Levelling up is the Prime Minister's key priority to ensure people across the country have the opportunity to thrive.
  • The Department works with other Departments, focusing on skills and in-work progression.
  • Barry Sheerman expressed ambition for his area and mentioned waiting for promises and slogans to turn into action.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Barry Sheerman Lab
Economy Employment Local Government
Context

The MP is inquiring about steps taken by the government to implement its levelling-up agenda.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to help implement the Government's levelling-up agenda?

Answer from Therese Coffey

Levelling up is the Prime Minister's key priority, making sure that people right across this country have the opportunity to thrive. The way that the Department does that is to work with other Departments, particularly thinking about skills and people going into in-work progression, as well as the use of levers, such things as the flexible support fund, that are aimed at removing barriers for people to take advantage of the opportunities available.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions and timelines were not provided.

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Q2 Barry Sheerman Lab
Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP is concerned about the high rates of unemployment and social benefits levels in his constituency and neighbouring areas, questioning the government's commitment to levelling up.

Question

You will know, Mr Speaker, and the Secretary of State should know that Huddersfield is a prosperous, highly skilled area of our country—yes, in Yorkshire and the north of England. Just like our next-door neighbour, Batley and Spen, we are waiting for the promises and the slogans to turn into leadership and change. It is not good enough to talk about a northern powerhouse that never arrives or levelling up that is never delivered. When will we see the high rates of unemployment in our part of West Yorkshire and the high levels of people on social benefits reduced? Bring back prosperity—let's have some leadership on this, I beg you.

Answer from Therese Coffey

I share the hon. Gentleman's ambition and am very confident that Ryan Stephenson will make an excellent MP in the future to bring that to Batley and Spen. It is important to recognise the wider issues that the hon. Gentleman and his area face. I am sure that we will continue to work with Tracy Brabin following her election as Mayor to ensure we get the skills relevant to those areas, but it will take local leadership as well as the leadership that we offer from the centre.

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures or timelines for reducing unemployment and social benefits dependency.

How: Changing Subject To Future Mp'S Potential Impact, Mentioning Work With Mayor But No Specifics

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