Recommendation 20

We heard that a lot of the missions were cross-cutting and would require leadership from several departments while others were more focussed and there would be more of a role for a lead department.59 For example, the Accounting Officer from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy told us that she was accountable for targets in the White Paper relating to innovation.60 We queried whether HM Treasury, which ultimately holds the purse strings, felt responsible for delivering on levelling up. HM Treasury told us that its accounting officer was not accountable for the Levelling Up Fund or for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and that the overarching mission relating to pay, productivity and employment was inherently cross-cutting and touched every government department.61 Formal accountability for the UKSPF sits with the Department, it shares accountability for the Levelling Up Fund with the Department for Transport.62 Approach to evaluation