Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of Levelling Up funding on stimulating economic activity in Shrewsbury town centre.

I welcome Shropshire Council's ambitious plans to regenerate Shrewsbury town centre. Shropshire's first round Levelling Up Fund bid, which focused on regenerating Shrewsbury town centre, was assessed by DLUHC officials impartially and robustly against four key criteria, including an assessment of the economic case. While Shropshire Council's bid was not successful in what was a highly competitive national competition, I would strongly encourage the local authority to bid again in the second round of the Levelling Up Fund, further details of which will be announced in the spring. Shropshire will also receive an allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, when it launches later this Spring, to invest in local priority projects in the area.