Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 12 March (HL Deb, col 1982), what steps they are taking to ensure that cultural institutions are prioritised by local authorities as part of any bids made to the Levelling Up Fund; and what guidance they have provided to assist local authorities with the bidding process.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The first round of the Fund will focus on three themes: smaller transport projects that make a genuine difference to local areas, town centre and high street regeneration, and support for maintaining and expanding the UK’s word-leading portfolio of cultural and heritage assets.
Bidding authorities should consult a range of local stakeholders across the full geography of a place in developing their proposed investments for the Fund. Bids should demonstrate evidence for this overall local engagement as part of their strategic case through stakeholder letters or similar.
Further details on how the Fund will operate were published in the prospectus at Budget – including who can bid, the types of projects eligible for funding, and the criteria for assessing proposals. Further guidance and templates for bid submissions, including package bids, will be provided to local authorities shortly after Budget.
Asked by: Baroness Bull (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) steps are being taken, and (2) resources are being made available, to support and protect homeless communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist
The Government recognises the challenges faced by those who are homeless or sleeping rough during the Covid-19 outbreak. We are working closely with local authorities and the sector to minimise the risk for vulnerable people and those currently unable to self-isolate.
As an initial first step we have announced £3.2 million in emergency funding for local authorities to help rough sleepers and those at risk of sleeping rough to self-isolate. This funding will assist local authorities with providing accommodation and support to vulnerable people who are at risk of, or who have been diagnosed with, Covid-19.
This is in addition to a £1.6 billion fund allocated to local authorities to help them respond to coronavirus (Covid-19) pressures across all the services they deliver. This includes increasing support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people.
Public Health England have also published guidance for those working in hostel and day centre environments.