Recommendation 7

The Department does not yet know how it will measure performance on a consistent basis across different geographical areas and timescales. We are concerned that data availability and quality is not yet adequate to track progress against the Levelling Up missions, either at a local level or to allow comparison across the UK’s nations. For example, it is not clear how the Department will measure sub- regional productivity, as an outcome measure around living standards, since Gross Domestic Product data is not available at a local level. We welcome the steps the Department is taking to improve its data quality, but we are not convinced that there is sufficient capacity at a local level to make the data quality improvements needed there. We are also concerned that data quality improvements may not be delivered in time to allow year-on-year comparisons or to establish a baseline against which to measure progress. Recommendation: The Department should clarify how it intends to provide performance information on a consistent basis (both year on year and across different geographical areas) and how, in the absence of good quality local data, it intends to establish a baseline against which to measure progress. 8 Local economic growth 1 Design and Delivery