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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason deprivation is not part of the weighting for bids for the Levelling Up Fund.

The £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund will prioritise bids from places in England, Scotland and Wales with the most significant need. This is measured by an index taking into account the following place characteristics: need for economic recovery and growth; need for improved transport connectivity; and need for regeneration. Using this index, places have been placed into category 1, 2, or 3, with category 1 representing places with the highest levels of identified need. These metrics are focussed on identifying places most in need of the type of investment offered through the Levelling Up Fund – including towns centre and high street regeneration, small scale transport projects, and investment in local culture and heritage assets. A methodology note has been published and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/levelling-up-fund-additional-documents/levelling-up-fund-prioritisation-of-places-methodology-note