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Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to replace the Shared Prosperity Fund when that fund comes to an end in March 2025.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I have received no formal representations from recipients of UK Shared Prosperity Fund monies in Northern Ireland to date. However, I recognise that UKSPF plays a significant role in supporting important provision across Northern Ireland, and in the normal course of business, my officials are regularly engaging with project deliverers and partners on this issue.

As with all Government funding, decisions regarding the future of UKSPF after the end of the current programme in March 2025 are a matter of the next spending review, so we are currently unable to outline specific plans at this stage. We recognise the need for those delivering UKSPF to have certainty as to its future and are committed to setting out further detail in due course.

My officials are regularly engaging with project leads and partners on this issue.


Written Question
Uk Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland
Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to maintain funding for projects funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Northern Ireland after March 2025.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Funding for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is confirmed for this Spending Review period, until the end of March 2025. As with all government funding, decisions regarding the future of UKSPF are a matter for the next Spending Review.

We nevertheless appreciate the case for certainty. We are committed to setting out further detail at the earliest opportunity.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing
Tuesday 16th May 2023

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to establish a consultation on the requirement for guarantors in the private housing rental sector.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Government is reforming the private rented sector to make it fairer for tenants and will bring forward legislation as soon as possible.

We strongly encourage landlords and letting agents to assess the suitability of potential and existing tenants on an individual basis.

We recognise that securing a guarantor can be difficult for some tenants. In these cases, local councils may offer guarantee schemes to help people on low incomes or at risk of homelessness. Further advice is available from local council housing teams, Shelter and other specialist advisers.


Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 19th April 2023

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing funding for Women's Group Projects in Northern Ireland who were unsuccessful bids for the Shared Prosperity Fund.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

My department is committed to addressing economic inactivity in Northern Ireland through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and recognises the particular needs of women in this regard. All funded projects will support economically inactive women.

A number of organisations that have a strong focus on supporting women have been successful either as a lead bidder or a project partner. These include: Women's TEC, Women's Resource Development Agency, Women's Aid, First Steps Women's Centre, Women in Business, Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network, Atlas Women's Centre, Ballybeen Women's Centre, Falls Women's Centre, Footprints Women's Centre, Greenway Women's Centre, Shankill Women's Centre and Windsor Women's Centre.

No further UKSPF funding is expected to be available for unsuccessful bidders.


Written Question
Levelling Up Fund
Tuesday 31st January 2023

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish a list of all projects that applied to Round Two of the Levelling Up Fund.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 129836 on 26 January 2023.


Written Question
Housing: Energy
Wednesday 2nd November 2022

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Passivhaus homes on levels of (a) fuel poverty and (b) carbon emissions.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Government has already committed to introducing a new design standard for the UK, the Future Homes Standard which we intend to consult upon in 2023. Homes built under this standard are intended to see improvements in efficiency and performance compared to most current housing stock which should, in addition, produce cost savings for owners and tenants.


Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Voluntary Organisations
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) community and (b) voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

The Department established the Northern Ireland UK Shared Prosperity Fund Partnership Group earlier this year to advise it as it develops an investment plan for the fund in Northern Ireland. It includes representative groups for key sectors, including the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education and skills and local authorities, as well as the Northern Ireland Office.

Voluntary and community organisations currently represented on the Northern Ireland Partnership Group are the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) and Chief Officers Third Sector (CO3). Its overall membership will be reviewed on conclusion of the Investment Plan process to ensure that the right mix of knowledge and experience is in place as the fund moves into its delivery phase.

DLUHC officials also hosted two engagement events in collaboration with NICVA and CO3 with attendance from over 150 community and voluntary organisations. Officials sought views on opportunities for UKSPF investment in Northern Ireland, and feedback and insight from these events has been used to inform the UKSPF Investment Plan for Northern Ireland. Alongside this, DLUHC officials have also had a number of individual meetings with specific community and voluntary organisations and their representatives.


Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Disability
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to ensure that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund supports projects which help people with (a) disabilities and (b) learning disabilities to find sustainable employment.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will provide support for projects across Northern Ireland, focusing on people and skills, communities and place, and local business for the period 2022-23 to 2024-25.

The Department established the Northern Ireland UKSPF Partnership Group earlier this year to advise it as it develops an investment plan for the fund in Northern Ireland. It includes representatives from the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education and skills and local authorities, as well as the Northern Ireland Office. Alongside this, DLUHC has held workshops and engaged with over 150 representatives of the voluntary and community sector, as well as business organisations and local councils across Northern Ireland, many of whom deliver skills training and wider support for disadvantaged people and provide support for people with disabilities to find sustainable employment.

For the 'people and skills' investment priority, the Department recognises the need for continued support to reduce economic inactivity, as well as invest in basic and life skills in order to improve life chances in Northern Ireland, including for disadvantaged groups and disabled people. Alongside this, the fund will invest in supporting people to access adult numeracy support through Multiply.

The Department expects to conclude the Investment Plan shortly and will publish further information on funding opportunities in Northern Ireland later this year.


Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of his Department providing additional support for disadvantaged people in Northern Ireland to access skills training funded under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will provide support for projects across Northern Ireland, focusing on people and skills, communities and place, and local business for the period 2022-23 to 2024-25.

The Department established the Northern Ireland UKSPF Partnership Group earlier this year to advise it as it develops an investment plan for the fund in Northern Ireland. It includes representatives from the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education and skills and local authorities, as well as the Northern Ireland Office. Alongside this, DLUHC has held workshops and engaged with over 150 representatives of the voluntary and community sector, as well as business organisations and local councils across Northern Ireland, many of whom deliver skills training and wider support for disadvantaged people and provide support for people with disabilities to find sustainable employment.

For the 'people and skills' investment priority, the Department recognises the need for continued support to reduce economic inactivity, as well as invest in basic and life skills in order to improve life chances in Northern Ireland, including for disadvantaged groups and disabled people. Alongside this, the fund will invest in supporting people to access adult numeracy support through Multiply.

The Department expects to conclude the Investment Plan shortly and will publish further information on funding opportunities in Northern Ireland later this year.


Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 19th October 2022

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that recipients of the European Social Fund in Northern Ireland continue to receive funding under the Shared Prosperity Fund after March 2023.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will provide support for projects across Northern Ireland, focusing on people and skills, communities and place, and local business for the period 2022-23 to 2024-25. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is leading delivery of the UKSPF in Northern Ireland and is in the process of designing a Northern Ireland Investment Plan for UKSPF that sets out the specific interventions it will support, and how it will bring them to market. The Department is working closely with Northern Ireland partners through a Partnership Group comprising representatives from the voluntary and community sector, business, higher education and skills, and local authorities to develop this Plan.

As the Department considers how to deliver the UKSPF, it is considering the wider funding landscape, including activities funded via predecessor funds and other programmes, and the best way to deliver impactful funding that addresses the needs of Northern Ireland. Alongside this, the Department has held workshops and engaged with over 150 representatives of the voluntary and community sector, many of whom receive funding for projects currently, as well as business organisations and local councils across Northern Ireland.

The Department expects to conclude the plan shortly and will publish further information on funding opportunities in Northern Ireland later this year.