Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Spatial Disparities: Annual Reporting

Monday 27 June 2022 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government will publish an annual report on progress towards delivering the 12 levelling-up missions to address UK spatial disparities.
  • The obligation to publish the annual report will be established in statute, allowing Parliament and the public to scrutinise progress regularly.
  • The Minister is willing to meet Jake Berry and members of the Northern Research Group to discuss a levelling-up formula for equalising Government spending.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kate Hollern Lab
Economy Parliamentary Procedure Local Government
Context

The question arises from concerns about the effectiveness of current levelling-up missions in addressing UK spatial disparities. The MP believes that these missions do not adequately focus on targeted outcomes.

Question

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring Government Departments to report annually on the impact of spatial disparities across the UK on targeted outcomes.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

The Government will publish an annual report on progress towards delivering the 12 levelling-up missions designed to address the UK's spatial disparities. The obligation to publish the report will be established in statute, creating a regular point for Parliament and the public to scrutinise progress towards levelling up.

Answered
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Q2 Kate Hollern Lab
Education Economy Employment
Context

The MP is critical of the current levelling-up missions, arguing that they fall short and do not provide a comprehensive cross-departmental strategy focusing on health, education, and other areas.

Question

The levelling-up missions fall far short of what we really need to make progress in this country. They are nothing more than the Government marking their own homework. Communities desperately need a cross-Government approach that focuses on the different outcomes for people and places in health, education and so many other areas. Will the Minister consider working with colleagues to set clearer lines of accountability on levelling up across Government Departments so that they can be assessed on their effectiveness and on real outcomes for people?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

The hon. Lady will find that the levelling-up White Paper and the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill do the very things she is asking. On marking our own homework, she misunderstands the point. The fact is that these missions should not be set in stone. As the economy adapts, so might the missions to reflect the changing environment and the lessons learned from past interventions.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not directly address the request for clearer lines of accountability across Government Departments.

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Q3 Jake Berry Con
Northern Ireland Parliamentary Procedure Local Government
Context

The MP highlights the challenge of delivering long-term levelling-up plans without a sustainable funding mechanism. The Northern Research Group has called for a formula to equalise Government spending across regions.

Question

Does my hon. Friend accept that it is hard to deliver the long-term, ambitious levelling-up plans set out in law without a long-term mechanism for funding them? Will she agree to meet me and members of the Northern Research Group, which has called for a levelling-up formula to equalise Government spending across our United Kingdom?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

I am very happy to do so.

Not addressed: The question was not directly addressed; instead, the Minister agreed to a meeting.

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Q4 Margaret Ferrier SNP
Education Economy Employment
Context

Resolution Foundation research indicates that the true cost of levelling up is higher than accounted for by Ministers, especially when considering ongoing investment in the south-east offsetting productivity gains elsewhere.

Question

Resolution Foundation research indicates that the true cost of levelling up is billions higher than accounted for by Ministers, owing to the continued investment in the south-east of England offsetting the productivity boost in other regions. How will Ministers look holistically at socioeconomic inequalities to better understand how to close the gap?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

The Resolution Foundation's report raises some very interesting findings, and it highlights the urgency of levelling up across the UK and the fact that the cost of living crisis is making levelling up more challenging and necessary. The UK shared prosperity fund will help to unleash the creativity and talent of communities that have been overlooked and undervalued.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The question was not directly answered with specific actions or timelines for addressing socioeconomic inequalities holistically.

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