The UK Government’s Levelling Up White Paper has been released, setting out a blueprint to improve lives and expand opportunities across the UK.
Before the paper was released, PSE reported that all areas of England will have the opportunity to have ‘London-style’ devolution deals by 2030 if they wish to do so, one of a number of policies that will affect the UK’s governance.
Now, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove will invite the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to join a new collective effort to level up the UK.
Among the whitepaper’s 12 central missions are plans to:
- Close the gap between the UK’s highest and lowest performing cities.
- Improve educational attainment among children leaving primary school.
- Narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy between the best and worst performing areas of the UK.
- Close gaps in transport and connectivity.
The government said these missions will drive real change by spreading opportunity and prosperity, as well as reversing the postcode lottery of life chances in the UK.
Where policies are reserved, the UK Government will lead on delivery UK-wide.
If missions fall in devolved policy areas, the UK Government will seek to work collaboratively with the devolved governments to deliver.
Proposals include using the new structures created in the Intergovernmental Relations Review to drive collaboration to overcome geographical disparities and the creation of a new body to share evidence and analyse success in devolved policy areas across the UK.
Amongst the UK-wide policies the UK Government will drive are:
- A 40% increase in domestic public investment in research and development (R&D) outside the Greater South East of England by 2030.
- Nationwide gigabit-capable broadband.
- 4G coverage across the UK and 5G coverage for most of the population.
Commenting, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove said:
“The United Kingdom is an unparalleled success story with one of the world’s biggest and most dynamic economies.
“But not everyone shares equally in the UK’s success. Great cities like Glasgow, Belfast, Swansea and Manchester, and proud towns from Aberystwyth to Armagh, to Bangor and Yeovil, have huge potential but contain inequalities which hold too many back.
“Our ambitious plan to unite and level up the whole UK seeks to end that historic injustice and call time on the postcode lottery.
“We will only succeed if all layers of government, UK, devolved and local, work together.
“We have seen through the success of the vaccine roll-out what we can achieve when we pull together. United, there is no challenge we cannot meet.”
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson added:
“From day one, the defining mission of this government has been to level up this country, to break the link between geography and destiny so that no matter where you live you have access to the same opportunities.
“The challenges we face have been embedded over generations and cannot be dug out overnight, but this whitepaper is the next crucial step.
“It is a vision for the future that will see public spending on R&D increased in every part of the country, transport connectivity improving, faster broadband in every community, life expectancies rising, violent crime falling, schools improving and private sector investment being unleashed.
“It is the most comprehensive, ambitious plan of its kind that this country has ever seen and it will ensure that the government continues to rise to the challenge and deliver for the people of the UK.”
PSE will be hosting a Learning & Development virtual event on 3 February 2022. Join us for the full day event by registering here.
