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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on Crawley and the surrounding area of the redundancies announced by Gatwick Airport; and what plans they have to provide additional support to the local authorities concerned.

Government is working with the Crawley Economic Recovery Task Force to support Crawley and the surrounding area.

We have provided local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, allocating £4.3 billion of support for?spending?pressures, including £3.7 billion of un-ringfenced grants and the £600 million Infection Control Fund. Crawley Borough Council have received £1.39 million in emergency grant funding.

We are also supporting local authorities to help local businesses. Government has put forward a package of support for businesses to help with ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. This includes the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF), the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF) and the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF). As of 30 August, Crawley Borough Council have paid out over £12.5 million to 886 business premises under the SBGF and RHLGF. They are also working hard to deliver grants to local businesses under the LADGF.

Government has recently awarded the Coast to Capital LEP £19.2 million from the new Getting Building Fund for a wide range of projects that will deliver a much-needed boost to the local economy. Over £8 million has been awarded to a proposal to create a new innovation centre in Crawley, bringing together major innovation-led businesses.

We have recently received Crawley's Town Investment Plan as part of the government's Towns Fund. This sets out Crawley's vision to drive the sustainable economic regeneration of Crawley, accounting for Covid-19 impacts, to deliver long term economic and productivity growth. Government is currently reviewing Crawley's Town Investment Plan and will respond shortly.

We will continue to work closely with all local authorities as they support their communities through the pandemic.