I am coming to Amendment 52 in a second. It might be helpful if I added a few comments about local government funding more generally, because we recognise that the sheer number of different funds has become onerous for some councils to navigate and deliver. We have taken initial steps to address this complexity in the funding landscape. For example, the levelling-up fund provides cross-departmental capital investment in local infrastructure, and the UK shared prosperity fund provides resource-focused investment to support people, boost pride in place and strengthen communities. However, the levelling-up White Paper made it clear that we can do more, and we will set out a plan on funding simplification shortly.
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Amendment 52, also in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor, sets out that we must publish a statement of any levelling-up directors who have been appointed and their role in relation to the implementation of the levelling-up missions. It might be helpful if I gave a little bit of background on our approach to levelling up. It is clearly a long-term programme. Levelling-up directors are but one part of a wide suite
of activity across government to deliver the 12 missions and the objectives of the levelling-up White Paper. I am afraid that I can give the noble Baroness only a brief update on where we are. I can tell her and the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, that no appointments have yet been made. We are reviewing the recruitment process for levelling-up directors internally, as well as our wider approach to working with places across the country. It is obviously key that we get this right and that we join up effectively across government. I or my ministerial colleague, my noble friend Lady Scott, will be happy to update noble Lords further on this in due course.
To bring us back to the specific amendments, Civil Service appointments are already subject to the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, so it is unnecessary to seek to create further statutory processes around this. Legislating in this way with regard to Civil Service roles would be disproportionate and unnecessary. Therefore, I ask the noble Baroness to withdraw Amendment 51. I hope that what I have said has been reasonably helpful and that she will not feel that she must move Amendment 52.