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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's report entitled Deprivation in Rural Areas, published in October 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report's finding that 14 of the 20 most-deprived rural Lower Layer Super Output Areas are in former mining areas.

Our Pride in Place strategy sets out how we will deliver up to £5.8 billion over ten years to 284 neighbourhoods (Middle Super Output Areas) experiencing the highest levels of deprivation across the country. Many coalfield communities – including very deprived Lower Super Output Areas - are part of this programme: Bentilee and Ubberley, Peterlee East, Grassmoor & Holmewood, Platt Bridge & Spring View, amongst many others.