Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department for Transport on plans for a future city region settlement in north east England to allow access to funding through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements programme.

CRSTS funding is available for the North East subject to the appropriate governance structures being in place as set out in Baroness Vere’s letter to regional leaders on 22 October 2021. It is for the relevant local authorities to propose new governance structures in order to access the funds available. The department is continuing its engagement with local authorities, and the North of Tyne Mayoral Combined Authority, on these plans and continue to update colleagues in DfT as the engagement progresses.