Covid-19: Levelling-up Agenda

Baroness Falkner of Margravine Excerpts

Thursday 12th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, I do not pay too much attention to rumours circulating, and the Government remain committed to the High Speed 2 project.

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (CB)]

What is the noble Baroness’s assessment of the Treasury’s 80:20 rule, which decrees that 80% of funding for Homes England goes to the areas where homes are most unaffordable? This naturally ends up being the south and south-east of England. Will she accept that, when 46 of the red wall seats are only eligible for 20% of the funding for homes, this creates a blatant unfairness for the north? Can she tell the House what Government are doing to resolve this?

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

I reassure the noble Baroness that funds from the £400 million brownfield fund announced in the Budget will unlock up to 24,000 high-quality homes across the country, with 90% allocated immediately to seven mayoral combined authorities to allow them to begin delivering projects that will benefit local areas.