Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to bring together islands from across the UK to discuss shared challenges.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Islands are distinct and vital parts of the United Kingdom. The Islands Forum was established to empower island communities to communicate with government, inform future policy, and work together. I am delighted the fourth forum will be meeting on Ynys Môn next month and I’m looking forward to joining her there.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 tackle potential barriers to planning permission for (a) offshore windfarms and (b) small modular reactor sites.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In February, the Government published an Action Plan setting out important reforms to the consenting process for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
The Government has also published for consultation the updated Energy National Policy Statements, which will set the policy framework for new energy infrastructure against which individual applications will be assessed. A new NPS for Nuclear Power Generation which will cover smaller reactors is also being developed.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a freeport in Anglesey on the economy in North Wales; and what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Wales on the Anglesey Freeport bid.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Freeport Programme has great potential to contribute towards achieving the Government's decarbonisation agenda and net zero ambitions. Welsh Freeport bidders were required to demonstrate how Freeport status will enable them to contribute to these goals, which of course includes the use of green energy.
It is inappropriate to comment on individual bids whilst the competition is ongoing. The bids are currently being jointly assessed by officials in the UK and Welsh Governments. Further announcements will be made in the usual way.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 impact of a freeport on the Isle of Anglesey on green energy.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Freeport Programme has great potential to contribute towards achieving the Government's decarbonisation agenda and net zero ambitions. Welsh Freeport bidders were required to demonstrate how Freeport status will enable them to contribute to these goals, which of course includes the use of green energy.
It is inappropriate to comment on individual bids whilst the competition is ongoing. The bids are currently being jointly assessed by officials in the UK and Welsh Governments. Further announcements will be made in the usual way.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if the Government will bring forward a strategy to improve economic growth in coastal communities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Through our Coastal Communities Fund, which ran until 2022, we supported a huge number of projects in communities across the country, with a total investment of £187 million. We continue to level up our coastal communities with the £2.6 billion UK Shared prosperity Fund which will unlock further economic growth across the country, including in coastal areas.
In addition to this, seven out of the eight English Freeports are in coastal areas, while two coastal areas of Scotland have just been announced as successful following the Green Freeport bidding process. We continue discussions with the Welsh Government regarding the freeport programme in Wales.
Furthermore, 22 coastal areas are benefiting from over £673 million of investment via the Towns Fund. Such communities also continue to benefit from the Levelling Up Fund, where we have just announced our support for over 100 more projects, including in the coastal communities of Blackpool, Cleethorpes and Great Yarmouth.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 plans to support industrial maritime projects in coastal communities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Government is committed to coastal communities and levelling-up across the UK. Our coastal economies and communities add unique value to the country and offer significant growth potential.
Seven out of the eight English Freeports are in coastal areas. Furthermore, the UK and the Scottish Government recently confirmed that Opportunity Inverness and Cromarty Firth and the Firth and Forth were successful in their bids to establish new Green Freeports, and we will shortly be announcing the outcome of the Freeport competition in Wales. Through a broad package of policy incentives – encompassing generous tax reliefs, public funding for infrastructure upgrades, and government support – Freeports will catalyse investment into coastal communities and drive job creation, including in maritime industries. The Government is working closely with the Welsh Government on this programme.
22 coastal towns are in receipt of Town Deals, and coastal areas will benefit from over £673 million of investment via the Towns Fund. The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund will unlock further economic growth in coastal communities with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the fund. Further funding was allocated today via the Levelling Up Fund Round 2, details of which were set out by written ministerial statement.
The Department for Transport recently announced £206 million for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) marking the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime sector.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans his Department has for funding for coastal communities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The Government is committed to coastal communities and levelling-up across the UK. Our coastal economies and communities add unique value to the country and offer significant growth potential.
Seven out of the eight English Freeports are in coastal areas. Furthermore, the UK and the Scottish Government recently confirmed that Opportunity Inverness and Cromarty Firth and the Firth and Forth were successful in their bids to establish new Green Freeports, and we will shortly be announcing the outcome of the Freeport competition in Wales. Through a broad package of policy incentives – encompassing generous tax reliefs, public funding for infrastructure upgrades, and government support – Freeports will catalyse investment into coastal communities and drive job creation, including in maritime industries. The Government is working closely with the Welsh Government on this programme.
22 coastal towns are in receipt of Town Deals, and coastal areas will benefit from over £673 million of investment via the Towns Fund. The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund will unlock further economic growth in coastal communities with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the fund. Further funding was allocated today via the Levelling Up Fund Round 2, details of which were set out by written ministerial statement.
The Department for Transport recently announced £206 million for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) marking the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime sector.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans his department has to bring forward a strategy to grow the economies of coastal communities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
My department is committed to supporting coastal communities flourish, strengthening their appeal as places to live, work and visit.
Through our Coastal Communities Fund, which ran until this year, we supported a huge number of projects in communities across the country, with a total investment of £187 million. We recently published the evaluation which showed how it stimulated job growth and prosperity in those areas.
Coastal communities continue to receive investment from our funding programmes, including 22 places that are receiving Town Deals collectively worth over £673 million. The Levelling Up Fund offers investment opportunities for coastal communities to promote regeneration and build vital infrastructure. The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund - where growing the private sector in localities is a core objective - is being delivered through an allocative process that reaches every part of the UK.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans his Department has to increase targeted funding to coastal communities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
My department is committed to supporting coastal communities flourish, strengthening their appeal as places to live, work and visit.
Through our Coastal Communities Fund, which ran until this year, we supported a huge number of projects in communities across the country, with a total investment of £187 million. We recently published the evaluation which showed how it stimulated job growth and prosperity in those areas.
Coastal communities continue to receive investment from our funding programmes, including 22 places that are receiving Town Deals collectively worth over £673 million. The Levelling Up Fund offers investment opportunities for coastal communities to promote regeneration and build vital infrastructure. The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund - where growing the private sector in localities is a core objective - is being delivered through an allocative process that reaches every part of the UK.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans his Department has to support industrial maritime projects in coastal communities.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
My department is committed to supporting coastal communities flourish, strengthening their appeal as places to live, work and visit.
Through our Coastal Communities Fund, which ran until this year, we supported a huge number of projects in communities across the country, with a total investment of £187 million. We recently published the evaluation which showed how it stimulated job growth and prosperity in those areas.
Coastal communities continue to receive investment from our funding programmes, including 22 places that are receiving Town Deals collectively worth over £673 million. The Levelling Up Fund offers investment opportunities for coastal communities to promote regeneration and build vital infrastructure. The £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund - where growing the private sector in localities is a core objective - is being delivered through an allocative process that reaches every part of the UK.