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Post-pandemic economic growth: Levelling up - local and regional structures and the delivery of economic growth

Status: Closed Opened: 24 Jul 2020 Closed: 3 Dec 2021 14 recommendations 4 conclusions 1 report

This sub-inquiry - Levelling up: local and regional structures and the delivery of economic growth - forms part of the Committee’s overall ‘super-inquiry’ into Post-Pandemic Economic Growth. Our ‘levelling up’ inquiry will look at how local and regional government structures (including the role of powerhouses, local enterprise partnerships and growth hubs, city and regional mayoralties, … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - Post-pandemic economic growth: Levelling up HC 566 22 Jul 2021 18 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

6 items
1 Conclusion Third Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Not Addressed

The Prime Minister, from the first day of his premiership, identified levelling up as a...

The Prime Minister, from the first day of his premiership, identified levelling up as a major focus of Government policy. It was featured in the Conservative Party Manifesto in 2019 and was a central theme of the programme for government, set out in the Queen’s Speech in May 2021. While … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response focuses on the significant impact of COVID-19 on health, the economy, and society, explaining how understanding its long-term implications is crucial for the levelling up agenda. It describes ongoing work to factor this analysis into planning and delivery, but does not directly …
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Department for Business and Trade
6 Recommendation Third Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Not Addressed

We recommend that the promised Levelling Up White Paper sets out a coherent plan for...

We recommend that the promised Levelling Up White Paper sets out a coherent plan for levelling up. This must set out, in detail, a road map and timeline for the delivery of the wide range of policies proposed. Fundamentally, it must set out what problems and issues these policies are … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the committee's comments on delivery but responds by discussing local government effectiveness, funding, and general levelling up principles. It does not commit to detailing the specific content requirements (roadmap, timeline, problem statements) for the promised Levelling Up White Paper as requested.
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Department for Business and Trade
8 Conclusion Third Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Not Addressed

Nor is it clear how levelling up is different to past regional policy and how...

Nor is it clear how levelling up is different to past regional policy and how it will therefore succeed in areas where previous regional policy has failed. Ministers offered no adequate response to this.

Government response AI summary
The government states its commitment to levelling up, outlining DLUHC's central role and the use of priority outcomes and outcome delivery plans from the 2020 Spending Review for accountability. However, the response does not address how levelling up differs from past regional policies or how …
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Department for Business and Trade
11 Conclusion Third Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Not Addressed

Regional and local devolution is incoherent and inconsistent across England.

Regional and local devolution is incoherent and inconsistent across England. In some areas, this can result in duplicative and ineffective outputs. In other areas, this results in communities which feel left behind, without the support or capacity provided by other tiers of local or regional government. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses the helpfulness of Local Industrial Strategies and encourages local areas to develop their own economic plans, which would be locally owned and not require government agreement. It does not address the committee's observation about the incoherence and inconsistency of regional and …
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Department for Business and Trade
13 Recommendation Third Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Not Addressed

We noted that some regional and local authorities performed better than others, which in some...

We noted that some regional and local authorities performed better than others, which in some cases was due to the size, institutional capacity or leadership provided within those tiers of government. We recommend that Ministers consider how to 34 Post-pandemic economic growth: Levelling up report on the effectiveness of different … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government outlines its existing levelling up strategy centered on DLUHC and cross-departmental priority outcomes and Outcome Delivery Plans to ensure accountability, but does not address the recommendation to consider how to report on the comparative effectiveness of different local and regional authorities.
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Department for Business and Trade
14 Recommendation Third Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Not Addressed

As we highlighted in our recent report on industrial policy, the local industrial and economic...

As we highlighted in our recent report on industrial policy, the local industrial and economic insights and intelligence that came from creating Local Industrial Strategies should not be lost. We recommend that the Government provide support and funding through its new regional Cities and Local Growth Unit teams to update … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the value of past Local Industrial Strategies but encourages local places to develop their own economic strategies and evidence-led thinking. It states these locally owned plans would not require government agreement and would build on previous work, rather than committing to support …
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Department for Business and Trade

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
18 May 2021 Aaron Goater · Committee on Climate Change, Kate O'Neill · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Luke Hall · Housing, Communities and Local Government, Mercedes Maroto-Valer · Heriot-Watt University, Nick Molho · Aldersgate Group, Paul Scully · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy View ↗
24 Nov 2020 Andrew Carter · Centre for Cities, Henri Murison · Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Katherine Bennett · Western Gateway, Marvin Rees · Bristol City Council, Mr Duncan Simpson · Taxpayers' Alliance, Rachael Greenwood · Midlands Engine, Rokhsana Fiaz · Newham Council, Sir Peter Soulsby · Leicester City Council, The Lord Kerslake · UK 2020 Commission View ↗
22 Oct 2020 Jamie Driscoll · North of Tyne Combined Authority, Rt Hon Andy Burnham · Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Steve Rotheram · Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Tim Bowles · West of England Combined Authority View ↗
1 Oct 2020 Chris Fletcher · Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Councillor Sue Baxtor · National Association of Local Councils, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe · Local Government Association, Louise Bennett OBE DL · Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Mark Bretton · THE LEP Network, Sandy Needham DL · West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Stuart Elford · Devon Chamber of Commerce View ↗

Who gave evidence

26 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Aaron Goater · Industry Lead Committee on Climate Change 1
Andrew Carter · Chief Executive Centre for Cities 1
Chris Fletcher · Campaigns Director Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce 1
Councillor Sue Baxtor · Chairman National Association of Local Councils 1
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe · Vice Chair of the City Regions Board Local Government Association 1
Henri Murison · Director Northern Powerhouse Partnership 1
Jamie Driscoll · Mayor North of Tyne Combined Authority 1
Kate O'Neill · Director of Policy, Cities and Local Growth Unit Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Katherine Bennett · Chair Western Gateway 1
Louise Bennett OBE DL · Chief Executive Officer Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce 1
Luke Hall · Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Mark Bretton · Chair THE LEP Network 1
Marvin Rees · Mayor Bristol City Council 1
Mercedes Maroto-Valer · Director, Research Centre for Carbon Solutions Heriot-Watt University 1
Mr Duncan Simpson · Research Director Taxpayers' Alliance 1
Nick Molho · Executive Director Aldersgate Group 1
Paul Scully · Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour… Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Rachael Greenwood · Director Midlands Engine 1
Rokhsana Fiaz · Mayor Newham Council 1
Rt Hon Andy Burnham · Mayor Greater Manchester Combined Authority 1
Sandy Needham DL · Chief Executive Officer West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce 1
Sir Peter Soulsby · Mayor Leicester City Council 1
Steve Rotheram · Mayor Liverpool City Region Combined Authority 1
Stuart Elford · Chief Executive Officer Devon Chamber of Commerce 1
The Lord Kerslake · Chair UK 2020 Commission 1
Tim Bowles · Mayor West of England Combined Authority 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
13 Jan 2022 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Levelling UP, Housing and Communities on…
15 Dec 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chair and the Chair of the Levelling up, Housing and Communitie…
24 Jun 2021 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government relating to p…