Prime Minister to set out plan to level up the country

• Prime Minister set to make a speech next week on plans to level up and unite the country
• Great British high streets to be central to new strategy to regenerate local communities and turbocharge new opportunities across the U.K.
• Renewed focus on boosting local businesses with permanent al fresco dining, support for grassroots football, and takeaway pints to continue for 12 months

The Prime Minister will set out the steps the government will take to deliver on the central purpose of his premiership - to level up and unite the United Kingdom.

The regeneration of the great British high street will form a key part of the Prime Minister’s speech next week, with a new High Streets Strategy to revolutionise local communities and support them to thrive.

Al fresco dining will become the norm, with pavement licences to be extended and then made permanent, making it easier and cheaper for pubs, restaurants and cafes to set up tables outside and serve more customers.

Takeaway pints will continue for another 12 months as the temporary permissions for off-sales of alcohol are extended. This will give a further boost to the hospitality industry as local residents enjoy a great British summer together outdoors.

As England faces Italy in the Euro 2021 final, the government has renewed its commitment to support local sports teams as a central part of levelling up opportunities for all.

£25 million has been committed to build new grass roots sports facilities, equivalent to 50 new artificial pitches, to ensure that all football fans have the chance to play their favourite sport.

In his speech next week, the Prime Minister will vow to tackle the inequalities and divisions that the pandemic has entrenched and make sure not to repeat the mistakes of the recovery from the financial crash of 2008.

He will talk about creating a more balanced economy with great jobs in every part of the UK; levelling up between generations; increasing access to opportunity no matter where you live; investing in infrastructure and skills; strengthening community and local leadership; restoring pride in place; and putting local needs at the heart of the government’s approach.

The speech will kick off a summer of engagement seeking views and input ahead of publication of the White Paper in the Autumn.

A Government spokesperson said:

“The Prime Minister is determined to level up the UK and deliver a fairer, stronger society - one where whatever your background and wherever you live, everyone can access the opportunities they need to succeed.

”While talent and potential is distributed evenly across this country, opportunity is not.

“That’s why as we emerge from the pandemic, it’s vital that we do not make the mistakes of recovery from the financial crash and seize this moment to ensure a better quality of life for people in every part of the UK.”

Notes to editors

• This government has already made significant progress in levelling up opportunities across the UK including through:

• Local regeneration and town centre improvement: The new £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund will invest in infrastructure to improve everyday local life and boost growth and jobs. We will launch the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022 and have already supported places with £220 million through the UK Community Renewal Fund. The £830 million Future High Streets Fund is supporting regeneration in 72 areas across England. Through the Towns Fund we are investing £3.6 billion in 101 towns in England towards their own local priorities such as upgrades to high streets and transport, while we are investing £2.9 billion in City and Growth Deals to drive forward local economic priorities in cities across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• Enterprise and jobs: We are boosting jobs, investment and communities post-Brexit by establishing eight Freeports in England and working to establish more in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of our drive to net zero, we are backing industries of the future through the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, mobilising billions in private and public investment to turn the country into the world’s number one centre for green technology and finance, creating 250,000 highly skilled green jobs across the UK. We are protecting, supporting and creating jobs through our Plan for Jobs, we are backing innovation with the £400 million “Strength In Places” Fund and we are moving more of government out of Whitehall.

• Levelling up public services: We are investing £3.7 billion to build 40 hospitals and recruiting 50,000 new nurses in England, which will ensure that people have access to the best public services, wherever they live. We are recruiting 20,000 new police officers to keep our streets and communities safe across England and Wales.

• Skills and education: We are helping to close the opportunity gap in England by increasing primary school funding to a minimum of £4,000 per pupil and secondaries to a minimum of £5,000 per pupil and boosting investment in schools by £14 billion through to 2023-23 – an extra £840 per pupil. We have introduced the Lifetime Skills Guarantee as part of the £2.5 billion National Skills Fund. Starting this year, 11 million adults are able to gain an A level-equivalent qualification for free. The devolved administrations will receive £500 million through Barnett consequentials as skills is devolved. We are rolling out T levels, which means we will be investing £500 million a year in new prestigious technical qualifications featuring more workplace experience.

• Major infrastructure and connectivity: To improve infrastructure and better connect people to jobs, we are making the largest ever investment in motorways and A-roads worth over £27 billion. We are also connecting the country with High Speed 2 and setting out our massive programme of rail investment across the North and the Midlands through the Integrated Rail Plan, building on our £4.2 billion investment. We are rolling out fibre across the UK, investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit to target getting to a minimum of 85 per cent gigabit-capable coverage by 2025 and to get us as close to 100 per cent as possible. We are investing £5 billion in buses and cycle routes across England. Our National Bus Strategy will ensure every area has a bus service as good as the capital’s.