Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
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 the number of Civil Servants operating from Leeds as of 16 March 2022 by (a) pay grade and (b) responsibilities.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The total number of Civil Servants employed by this Department and operating from Leeds as of 16 March 2022 was 80. This figure will rise to 89 once we confirm and complete the location and workforce data for staff who have recently transferred into the Department from Cabinet Office.
(a) Total number of Civil Servant officials by pay grade:
Leeds headcount by Grade, 16th March 2022 | Count |
Administrative & Executive officers | 7 |
Higher and Senior Executive Officers | 48 |
Grade 7 and Grade 6 officers | 22 |
Senior Civil Servants | 3 |
Grand Total | 80 |
(b) Responsibilities of those Civil Servants operating from Leeds as of 16 March:
The Department’s staff in Leeds perform functions across a wide range of the Department's responsibilities and priorities. Approximately a third of staff are working directly in support of the Department’s Levelling-Up and place-based work. There are also staff from teams whose responsibility is to deliver high-quality, secure and affordable housing, as well as teams responsible for ensuring the country has strong local leadership, high quality public services, and safer and greener buildings. There are also a smaller number of staff from within the Department’s Executive and corporate service delivery teams.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
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 the criteria by which scores were awarded in respect of the Community Renewal Fund for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We have published on Gov.uk the UK Community Renewal Fund Explanatory Note. This sets out the assessment and decision-making process for selecting successful bids to the UK Community Renewal Fund including the assessment criteria for Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Community Renewal Fund awards.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
UK government ran a national competition against a fixed national allocation. All areas in Northern Ireland are eligible for funding and applicants applied directly to UK government. We have not applied any sub-national targeting within Northern Ireland to seek to ensure that all communities across NI can apply for these funds.
Following the UKCRF announcement successful and unsuccessful letters were issued direct to project applicants in NI. Grant funding agreements will then be issued to all successful project applicants in NI.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many bids to the Community Renewal Fund were received from Northern Ireland.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The UK Community Renewal Fund received a total of 83 bids from organisations in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will detail the level of funding in each of the four financial years of the Levelling Up Fund for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund will invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, including regenerating town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets.
The Fund will operate UK-wide, extending the benefits of funding for priority local infrastructure across all regions and nations.
The Fund will set aside at least £800 million across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over four years from 2021-2022 to 2024-2025.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2021 to Question 173088 on Levelling Up Fund: Northern Ireland, what proportion of the £800 million Levelling Up Fund for the devolved administrations will be allocated to Northern Ireland in the financial years (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Levelling Up Fund will set aside at least £800 million across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over four years from 2021-22 to 2024-25. For the first round of funding, at least 9% of total UK allocations will be set aside for Scotland, 5% for Wales, and 3% for Northern Ireland. There will be future opportunities to bid in subsequent rounds. Further detail on how the Fund will operate from 2022-23 onwards will be set out later this year.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2021 to Question 173088 on Levelling Up Fund: Northern Ireland, when the allocation of funding from the Levelling Up Fund will be determined for Northern Ireland for the financial years (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Levelling Up Fund will set aside at least £800 million across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over four years from 2021-22 to 2024-25. For the first round of funding, at least 9% of total UK allocations will be set aside for Scotland, 5% for Wales, and 3% for Northern Ireland. There will be future opportunities to bid in subsequent rounds. Further detail on how the Fund will operate from 2022-23 onwards will be set out later this year.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of the £800 million Levelling Up Fund for the devolved administrations will be allocated to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Fund will set aside at least £800 million across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over four years from 2021-22 to 2024-25. For the first round of funding, at least 9% of total UK allocations will be set aside for Scotland, 5% for Wales, and 3% for Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many bids his Department received from Northern Ireland to the Towns Fund.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Towns Fund operates in England only. Devolved Administrations receive funding according to the Barnett formula and are responsible for decisions on how that funding is used within their devolved responsibilities.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which areas will be part of the £220m trial of the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
To help local areas prepare over 2021-22 for the introduction of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we will provide £220 million additional UK funding to support our communities to pilot programmes and new approaches. Further details will be published in the new year.