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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the disparity in wealth of the wealthiest 10% of the population and the average household on (a) economic prosperity, (b) productivity and (c) social cohesion in Cornwall.

This Government is committed to improving the living standards of the average household across the United Kingdom. The Employment Rights Bill will upgrade the UK labour market to make it fit for our modern economy, driving business growth and tackling poor productivity through providing greater security to working people.

We believe that economic prosperity, productivity, and social cohesion are best addressed by devolving powers to local areas who best understand the needs of their communities. Cornwall’s recently announced Level 2 devolution agreement is the start of that journey to move more powers from Whitehall to local people in Cornwall. Local authorities will be given new powers to address the challenge of short-term lets and second homes which are a particular challenge in Cornwall.