Oral Answers to Questions

Ronnie Cowan Excerpts

Monday 17th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Stephenson]

We remain absolutely committed to our manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping. According to the latest official statistics, published in February 2020, the number of people sleeping rough is at an eight-year low and has almost halved since 2017. Rough sleeping has now decreased in every region of England. We are committed to continuing the great work of my predecessor and implementing the “Ending rough sleeping for good” strategy, and, as I said earlier, there is £2 billion of funding for the next three years.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

3. How much and what proportion of the £4.8 billion levelling-up fund has his Department allocated to local authorities since that fund was announced in October 2021.

[Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con)]

4. How many areas have been allocated funding under the levelling-up fund.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Mr Simon Clarke)]

Round 1 of the levelling-up fund saw a total £1.7 billion awarded to 85 lead applicants across 105 bids from the UK. Of this, my Department has awarded £1.24 billion, with £187 million paid out to date. We expect that figure to increase significantly as these projects move through the delivery phases. I expect to announce the outcome of round 2 by the end of this year, with funding decisions based on the framework set out in our levelling-up fund guidance.

[Ronnie Cowan]

Inverclyde has a very strong bid in, but we need maximum co-operation between this UK Government and my Inverclyde Council to ensure that we can line up all the ducks at our end and therefore get a maximum return on the investment. I heard the Minister saying that this would be announced at the end of the year, but last week I was being told that it would be at the end of November, so things seem to be slipping there, which concerns me. When will he tell me that Inverclyde has been successful, and how much money is he going to give me?

[Mr Clarke]

Fond as I am of the hon. Gentleman, I will not give him the money directly, but we will deliver it by the end of the year.