Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding has been allocated from the (a) UK Community Renewal Fund, (b) Levelling Up Fund, (c) Community Ownership Fund and (d) UK Shared Prosperity Fund to projects in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland (A) overall and (B) in each financial year for which figures are available; and if he will publish a breakdown by project.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Information on the projects that these funds have supported and the dates when commitments were announced are publicly available and can be found on gov.uk:
Delivery of UKSPF is delegated to local authorities.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what powers he has impose financial support for new ferry routes as a condition for companies seeking to operate Freeports.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 2213 on 20 November 2023.
Freeports are not operated by individual companies, but are a partnership of key public and private stakeholders coming together to deliver durable economic growth for their regions.
Private sector operators provide services to meet wider passenger or freight demands and so, new ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis.
More information pertaining to Scottish Green Freeports can be found as this link.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has issued guidance on responsibility for (a) upgrading and (b) enhancing port infrastructure in freeports.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Decisions regarding port infrastructure enhancement primarily lie with port operators, who will determine what is needed on a commercial and operational basis In terms of guidance, the Department for Transport publishes three core documents to support the ports sector: the Port Marine Safety Code, last updated in 2016 (with an update due in early 2024), the Guide to Good Practice on Port Marine Operations, last updated in 2018 (with an update due in mid-2024), and the Ports Good Governance Guide, last published in 2018. None of these documents are statutory. It should also be noted that port policy is devolved.
Freeports benefit from a comprehensive package of government funding and incentives, which can be strategically used in those areas, to upgrade local infrastructure, to foster economic growth and competitiveness, including for port operators involved in a Freeport. Decisions on how or what to upgrade in terms of individual Freeports, will be taken by the Freeport and relevant partners.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has for further levelling-up funding for local authorities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
We have already announced over £10 billion of funding through our levelling up funds and are working to support local authorities to ensure their projects and investment plans meet local needs. The Government has now published a plan for simplifying and streamlining the funding landscape, which will help local stakeholders navigate future funding opportunities.
To ensure future funding meets the needs of local communities, we are currently reflecting on the lessons learned from the first two rounds of the Levelling Up Fund, to help inform the design of round 3.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how levelling up funding will be allocated over the next two years.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
We have already announced over £10 billion of funding through our levelling up funds and are working to support local authorities to ensure their projects and investment plans meet local needs. The Government has now published a plan for simplifying and streamlining the funding landscape, which will help local stakeholders navigate future funding opportunities.
To ensure future funding meets the needs of local communities, we are currently reflecting on the lessons learned from the first two rounds of the Levelling Up Fund, to help inform the design of round 3.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has for the site of the former Cockenzie Power Station, the context of levelling-up funding.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The second round of the Levelling Up Fund awarded £11,267,841 to East Lothian Council for the project 'Former Cockenzie Power Station Site Remediation and Preparation Works'.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what statutory and additional powers apply within Freeports to (a) law enforcement agencies, (b) trading standards officers, (c) HM Revenue and Customs and (d) the National Crime Agency.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Freeport status in no way undermines or weakens existing port security arrangements. Special customs status - which builds on, rather than radically departing from, facilitations available elsewhere in the UK - is available only on specific 'customs sites' within the wider Freeport footprint. These are secure sites administered by a specially authorised 'Customs Site Operator' or CSO. More information on Freeports security requirements can be found in the Freeports Annual Report.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
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 provide law enforcement agencies with additional resources to help tackle illicit and counterfeit goods at Freeports.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 141395 on 14 February 2023.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
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 trends in the number of illicit and counterfeit goods brought through freeports.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 141395 on 14 February 2023.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department have produced guidance for public buildings affected by Reinforced Autocalved Aerated Concrete.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Government departments are working together on this issue. Guidance has been published by the Department for Education that will help building owners understand the process of assessing, investigating and developing a Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) management and remediation strategy; although it is aimed at the education sector the general principles are applicable to all buildings. Additionally, a report published by the Institute for Structural Engineers will help improve awareness of RAAC amongst the wider structural engineering community and assist those who are asked by clients to advise on the management and mitigation of RAAC panels.