To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the proposed £50 million capital investment in the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the proposed £50 million capital investment in the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the proposed £50 million capital investment in the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the proposed £50 million capital investment in the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with the the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the proposed £50 million capital investment in the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with the the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the proposed £50 million capital investment in the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on proposed capital funding for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on proposed capital funding for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to support SME industrial development.

We recognise the excellent work being done by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and remain committed to working with it. As my hon. Friend will know, the current fiscal position remains challenging. It is in that context that we are considering funding requests.

We recognise the excellent work being done by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and remain committed to working with it. As my hon. Friend will know, the current fiscal position remains challenging. It is in that context that we are considering funding requests.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is asking for £50 million to support local initiatives that deliver training courses and community cohesion at ward level. I have spoken to the trust about supporting constituents of mine in ex-coalfield communities in Swadlincote by improving the confidence of people on long-term benefits, so that they can build towards getting paid work, and about providing activities that support community cohesion. I recently visited Bloomin’ Gardens & Landscapes in Church Gresley. People there told me that they were concerned about the lack of interest in careers in gardening and horticulture. What can the Minister do to help me help my constituents, by ensuring that they have opportunities in gardening and horticulture, and can improve their communities?

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust is asking for £50 million to support local initiatives that deliver training courses and community cohesion at ward level. I have spoken to the trust about supporting constituents of mine in ex-coalfield communities in Swadlincote by improving the confidence of people on long-term benefits, so that they can build towards getting paid work, and about providing activities that support community cohesion. I recently visited Bloomin’ Gardens & Landscapes in Church Gresley. People there told me that they were concerned about the lack of interest in careers in gardening and horticulture. What can the Minister do to help me help my constituents, by ensuring that they have opportunities in gardening and horticulture, and can improve their communities?

The Government remain committed to supporting ex-coalfield communities, such as those in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and to tackling the decline and neglect we saw under the Conservative party. It was our party that established the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in 1999, and we are committed to working with it to support our coalfield communities. That comes alongside our wider efforts to invest in communities that were held back under the Conservative party through our trailblazing Pride in Place programme.

The Government remain committed to supporting ex-coalfield communities, such as those in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and to tackling the decline and neglect we saw under the Conservative party. It was our party that established the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in 1999, and we are committed to working with it to support our coalfield communities. That comes alongside our wider efforts to invest in communities that were held back under the Conservative party through our trailblazing Pride in Place programme.

rose—

rose—

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. The fact is that there were coalfields in Northern Ireland. There has been an opportunity—

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. The fact is that there were coalfields in Northern Ireland. There has been an opportunity—

The question of who benefited from coalfields in the past is always relevant to people in Northern Ireland. Other parts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have experienced coalfield regeneration, and people have come back from those areas on the mainland to Northern Ireland. Can we...

The question of who benefited from coalfields in the past is always relevant to people in Northern Ireland. Other parts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have experienced coalfield regeneration, and people have come back from those areas on the mainland to Northern Ireland. Can we...

We recognise that we need to support communities across the country who have been held back. We are working with the Northern Ireland Office to make sure that support is available for communities to renew and regenerate, so that they have the power to drive the change that they want to see.

We recognise that we need to support communities across the country who have been held back. We are working with the Northern Ireland Office to make sure that support is available for communities to renew and regenerate, so that they have the power to drive the change that they want to see.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps she has taken on the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps she has taken on the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on considering the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on considering the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on considering the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on considering the capital funding request from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

In the light of the Government’s determination to bring prosperity to coalfield communities like Doncaster, does the Minister share my desire for the fast delivery of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust industrial project? It is also important to transfer any potential funds directly to the CRT, so as not to delay any delivery with bureaucratic processes and bidding.

In the light of the Government’s determination to bring prosperity to coalfield communities like Doncaster, does the Minister share my desire for the fast delivery of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust industrial project? It is also important to transfer any potential funds directly to the CRT, so as not to delay any delivery with bureaucratic processes and bidding.

The Government are committed to investing in coalfield communities, and I was pleased to meet my hon. Friend and Mayor Ros Jones to talk about their exciting plans in Doncaster, which we are investing in. We are looking very closely at what the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has sent us; the trust is, of course, a great legacy of the previous Labour Government, and we are committed to working with it.

The Government are committed to investing in coalfield communities, and I was pleased to meet my hon. Friend and Mayor Ros Jones to talk about their exciting plans in Doncaster, which we are investing in. We are looking very closely at what the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has sent us; the trust is, of course, a great legacy of the previous Labour Government, and we are committed to working with it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to Local Growth Plans in former coalfields areas with capital funding from government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to Local Growth Plans in former coalfields areas with capital funding from government.

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

I want to start by acknowledging the death of the Holy Father yesterday. Many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme, up and down the kingdom and across the world will be feeling his death deeply. Our thoughts are with the Catholic community the world over, and all who admired him.

This week, we mark...

I want to start by acknowledging the death of the Holy Father yesterday. Many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme, up and down the kingdom and across the world will be feeling his death deeply. Our thoughts are with the Catholic community the world over, and all who admired him.

This week, we mark...