Supporting local economic growth

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 12 Jan 2022 Closed: 2 Sep 2022 Parliament page
Successive governments have tried to address regional economic disparities and raise productivity through a range of interventions, such as the £12 billion government committed to the Local Growth Fund between 2015-16 and 2020-21. In the 2020 Spending Review, and 2021 Budget, government reiterated its intention to “level up opportunity across … Read more
12 Recommendations
15 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Letter
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
2 Sep
2022
Report published
8 Jun
2022
Report published
21 Apr
2022
Correspondence
2 Mar
2022
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
2 Mar 2022
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Supporting local economic growth
Bernadette Kelly CB · Department for Transport Jeremy Pocklington CB · Ministry of Defence Sarah Munby · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Will Garton · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Local economic growth HC 252 8 Jun 2022 27 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
12 Recommendation Rejected
Fifth Report - Local economic grow…
We questioned the Department on whether the way in which it was awarding funding might...
We questioned the Department on whether the way in which it was awarding funding might mean some areas missed out multiple times across the various funding pots while others were given several opportunities to get funding.31 The Department explained that … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the implied recommendation to change the funding award process to prevent areas from missing out, defending its robust decision-making process and ministerial discretion to ensure a fair spread of Levelling Up Fund allocations. It does, however, commit to providing information on the balance of successful and unsuccessful bids by theme and geography.
HM Treasury
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13 Recommendation Rejected
Fifth Report - Local economic grow…
We reminded the Department that when we reported previously on the Towns Fund we had...
We reminded the Department that when we reported previously on the Towns Fund we had raised concerns over the opacity over some of its decision making.34 In November 2020, we reported that the selection process for awarding the Towns Fund … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with the committee's implied recommendation for new safeguards against political influence, defending its robust decision-making process for the Levelling Up Fund and the necessity of ministerial discretion for wider considerations. However, it commits to providing information on the balance of successful and unsuccessful bids by theme and geography to enhance transparency.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 27 of 12 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 15
Not Addressed 4
Rejected 2
Total 12 recs + 15 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
21 Apr 2022 Correspondence from Bernadette Kelly, Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport, re Supporting local economic growth, dated 30 March 2022
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