Westminster Social Policy Forum

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will discuss next steps for tackling child poverty and hunger.

The timing is significant. The conference takes place in the context of:

• COVID-19 - the impact on households of economic pressures and rising unemployment in the wake of the pandemic
• the National Food Strategy - which was commissioned by the Government, and has called for immediate action to tackle child hunger
• free school meals - with the Government extending the scheme to cover school holidays, following the child food poverty campaign sparked by Marcus Rashford
• the Universal Credit uplift - following the extension of the £20 uplift

Areas for discussion include:

• the scale and scope of the problem - latest thinking, data, and projections for poverty affecting children
• key issues and priorities - employment, regional inequalities, universal credit, and supporting groups most affected
• access to education - catching up and the impact of digital poverty
• addressing child hunger - food poverty, key initiatives and the National Food Strategy
• the challenge for policy - overall priorities for how government and stakeholders tackle child poverty now, in the shadow of the 2020 target for child poverty eradication set in the 2010 Child Poverty Act

The agenda

• Child poverty in the wake of the pandemic
• Policy priorities for addressing child poverty after the 2020 targets
• ‘Addressing inequalities in child health - the importance of protecting children from poverty and adversity’
• Tackling child poverty and supporting groups most affected - Universal Credit, regional disparities, employment and cost of living
• Digital poverty and improving children’s access to education during and after the pandemic
• Strategies for tackling food poverty amongst children and harnessing the National Food Strategy
• Addressing child hunger - improving support available for families, free school meals, foodbanks, tackling root causes and creating a joined-up system

Key areas for discussion:

Child poverty in the wake of the pandemic:

• universal credit - assessing the temporary £20 UC top-up extended till September, with discussion on:
  
  • rising living costs - their impact in the wake of the pandemic, and the adequacy of support
  • income supplements - exploring options for offering support focused on child poverty in England, and following the recently rolled out Scottish Child Payment
• regional disparities - supporting areas hit hardest by the economic impact of the pandemic and those with longstanding issues around child poverty, including:
  
  • improving funding for children’s services
  • creating and strengthening partnerships between local and combined authorities
• employment - assessing the contribution of the furlough scheme to mitigating rising levels of poverty amongst households and carers, as well as:
  
  • household living standards - the impact of access to education and local labour market opportunities
  • the Lifetime Skills Guarantee - how it can best be used to increase access to high-skilled, well-paid work
• groups hit hardest - looking at particular issues for children who are carers, who suffer from disabilities, or are subject to abuse, and those with challenges in marginalised minority groups:
  
  • improving the evidence base and data gathering, as well as the use of targeted services and support
  • the impact so far of the two-child policy on UC across communities with higher proportions of larger households

Access to education and addressing digital poverty:

• catch-up learning - assessing the impact, practicalities and implementation of government plans for summer school learning in England
• local initiatives - looking at best practice in supplying, repurposing, and donating devices to disadvantaged children, as well as learning from these schemes
• funding - evaluating the impact of governmental support and investment
• the role of businesses - examining actions taken by media and internet providers to improve access to key educational platforms, and assessing what more can be done by businesses to help UK children

Tackling child hunger:

• free school meals - discussing how best to ensure quality and nutritional value, and comparing the offering provided by vouchers versus pre-prepared meals, as well as:
  
  • provision into the future - opportunities for shaping future practice following changes during the pandemic
  • balancing support with value - evaluating the roll-out of additional support from the DfE during the pandemic, and providing value for money for the taxpayer
  • the responsibility of education providers - looking at the role of school resources and staffing on catering arrangements and the provision of free school meals
• joining up services - with discussion on:
  
  • innovations in providing access to food for families struggling during the pandemic
  • the role of the third sector and foodbanks
  • improving data and resource sharing between health, education and social services
  • dovetailing with the policy drive to tackle obesity and improve access to nutritious food
• the National Food Strategy - the impact of recommendations on tackling child hunger, next steps in areas of immediate concern, and the way forward for implementing:
  
  • a root-and-branch review and strategy for the food system
  • improvements in food security
  • reform of the food system in the wake of exiting the European Union

Policy priorities and aims after the 2020 targets:

• establishing aims for the future - considerations for possible follow-up goals in light of predictions of increasing child poverty post-pandemic
• evaluating criteria - discussing best practice for deciding definitions and measurements of child poverty on which to base future policy and evaluate effectiveness
• lessons learned from past efforts - learning from and evaluating previous advances in lowering levels of child poverty in the early 2000s
• evaluating previous efforts - looking at concerns raised about the effectiveness of the 2010 goals

Relevant developments:

• the National Food Strategy - the independently-led review into the UK’s food system, commissioned by the Government, that has called for immediate action to tackle child hunger, including to:
  
  • expand eligibility for free school meals to cover all children with a parent or guardian receiving Universal Credit
  • broaden the Holiday Activity and Food Programme to cover all of England
  • increase the value of Healthy Start Scheme vouchers to £4.25 a week
• End child food poverty - no child should be going hungry - petition to the UK government and parliament which received over 1m signatures, following Marcus Rashford’s campaign on child food poverty:
  
  • calling for a root-and-branch review into the free school meals system
  • prompting the government to extend free school meals for disadvantaged children to cover school holidays
• Universal Credit - following a recent report by the Work and Pensions Select Committee which called for an extension to the UC £20 weekly increase, the Chancellor has confirmed that the increase will remain in place for another six months extending to the end of September - attention now turns to what will happen following this further extension
• government support - including:
  
  • the COVID Winter Grant Scheme, the extended Holiday Activities and Food programme in 2021 and an increase to the Healthy Start scheme payments
  • initiatives to improve living standards, job retention and professional development during and after the pandemic, including the Job Retention Scheme and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee
• free school meals - with the opening of the National free school meals voucher scheme, and the earlier extension by the government to free school meals throughout lockdown school closures
• Get help with technology during coronavirus (COVID-19) - a range of support introduced by the DfE to help disadvantaged children get access to remote education during the pandemic
• the child poverty policy backdrop - including:
  
  • the two-child limit policy - introduced in 2017 and limiting Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit to two children in a family
  • the Child Poverty Act 2010 - setting a target for eradicating persistent child poverty by 2020, with aims such as reducing the percentage of children living in households of relative poverty to under 10%
• forecasts for UK living standards in the wake of the pandemic - including the prediction in The Living Standards Outlook 2021 that by 2024-25 one in three children will be living in poverty
• Child poverty: the crisis we can’t keep ignoring - the Children’s Commissioner for England publishing a cross-party call for government action in light of heightened problems during the pandemic
• The Childhood Commission - launched by the Children’s Commissioner for England, aiming to identify the key issues facing young people and set out solutions, along with ambitious targets to keep government and local authorities accountable
• Child poverty and devolution in North East England - recent research by IPPR North on child poverty, with recommendations for:
  
  • dealing with child poverty to be central to future devolution deals and regional funding plans
  • combined authorities to work to understand the implications of their investment and policy on levels of child poverty
  • collaboration on addressing child poverty to be strengthened between combined authorities, and constituent local authorities, including by sharing resources and learning
• Call for evidence: Children in poverty: Measurement and targets - the Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry, looking at:
  
  • measurement - how best to measure and define child poverty, its impact, and how the DWP should be working with other departments to tackle child poverty
  • the social security system - how well it is working for children, including children of parents with no recourse to public funds, and support offered for separated families and working parents
• DfE “surprisingly unconcerned” on whether free school meals contractor was “profiting at taxpayers’ expense” - Public Accounts Committee report, including recommendations for the DfE to:
  
  • user-test new systems that are intended to be used by parents and schools to ensure they are able to meet expected demand for helpline support
  • improve its commercial evaluations of contracts to ensure it provides value for money for taxpayers
  • improve data sharing with DWP to boost flexibility in the supply of free school meals for those eligible

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by officials from the Department for Communities, NI; the Department for Education; the DWP; the Education and Training Inspectorate, NI; the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government; the Office of the Children's Commissioner; Ofsted; Social Security Scotland; the Welsh Government; and the Senedd Cymru.
Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government officials in this area of public policy, together with other stakeholders involved with or affected by action against child poverty and hunger, including children’s charities, family support groups, social workers, public health bodies, nutritionists, schools, local government, community leaders, regional programme coordinators, housing groups, businesses and economic consultancies, researchers in academia and higher education, as well as reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will assess the next steps for driving economic growth and development in the Midlands, and the policy agenda following the Mayoral election.
Discussion will focus on improving infrastructure, ensuring balanced growth, and securing regional recovery from the pandemic - as well as progress being made by the Midlands Engine.

The conference will be an opportunity to discuss priorities for policy and stakeholders in order for the Midlands to maximise potential benefits from developments including:

• the Government’s ‘levelling up’ policy agenda
• regional funds being developed to replace EU funding following Brexit
• the wider reopening of the economy post pandemic
• the planned devolution and local recovery white paper due later this year

We are pleased to be able to include a keynote session with Nick Abell, Chair, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. There will also be contributions from Birmingham City University; Catch22; DLA Piper; East Midlands Council; EMH Homes; Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP and Consilio; the Manufacturing Technology Centre; Midlands Energy Hub; Transport for West Midlands; the TUC; the University of Birmingham; and the University of Leicester. The chairs are: Jack Dromey MP, Secretary, All-Party Parliamentary Group for the West Midlands; and Darren Henry MP, Vice Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on the East Midlands.

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from MHCLG; BEIS and the Cities and Local Growth Unit; the National Infrastructure Commission; the Department for International Trade; the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Defra; the Environment Agency; Ofwat; HM Revenue & Customs; the National Audit Office; and the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

Overall, the agenda will bring out latest thinking on:

• progress and priorities - looking at the way forward for economic development and moving towards goals of the Midlands Engine
• strategies for growth - key sectors, stakeholder collaboration, addressing the needs of communities, and the policy agenda following the elections in May this year
• investment and employment - diversifying funding sources, new Government support, business confidence, and careers and skills development
• infrastructure priorities - looking at transport, homes, and digital connectivity
• emerging technologies and an economic green recovery - supporting the innovation base, research commercialisation, and preparing the region’s route to net-zero
• policy priorities - looking at recovery across the Midlands economy, and establishing the region as a key driver of national growth

The agenda

• Economic development needs for the Midlands and progress toward achieving goals of the Midlands Engine
• Delivering a strategy for regional economic recovery - priorities for growth in key sectors, stakeholder collaboration, addressing needs of communities, and the policy agenda following the elections
• Investment and jobs growth in the Midlands - diversifying funding sources, targeting new government support, promoting business confidence, and matching careers and skills development programmes to future needs
• Infrastructure priorities for the Midlands - transport, homes and digital connectivity
• A rail transport network that supports passenger and business needs - connectivity expansion, congestion reduction, and high-speed rail integration
• Housing rollout - cross-regional spatial plans, supporting delivery partners, and improving affordability
• Digital infrastructure, and regional readiness for full-fibre networks and 5G
• Opportunities for Midlands leadership in emerging technologies and from the Government’s Green Industrial Revolution aims - supporting the innovation base, research commercialisation, and preparing the region’s route to net-zero

The discussion in detail:

• economic recovery:
  
  • policy - developing a recovery strategy for the Midlands, including:
    
    • support measures for key growth industries
    • transition plans for business
    • the scope of future frameworks for policy tools after the local and mayoral elections
  • regional priorities - discussing how best to meet the region’s needs, including:
    
    • scaling up cross-regional collaboration
    • developing public and private partnerships
    • catalysing new economic opportunities
  • investment - overcoming obstacles to inward and regional business investment, looking at:
    
    • steps for restoring investor confidence
    • priority areas for business expansion
    • what more is needed from government to replace EU funding programmes following the UK’s exit from the EU
    • opportunities for investment to help promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly business practices
  • employment - discussion on how to boost jobs growth, skills development and career opportunities in the region, including:
    
    • jobs programmes with growth industries
    • developing long-term plans
    • dovetailing projects with the Government’s levelling up agenda for addressing regional inequalities
• infrastructure development:
  
  • rail - looking at what is needed to ensure it can meet current and future needs, including:
    
    • track improvements - priorities for investment, policy, and construction
    • connectivity - expansion within and beyond the Midlands
    • supporting consumer needs - looking at enhanced capacity and reduced congestion
  • housing - accelerating building rollout in the region, and overcoming barriers to development, including:
    
    • identifying capacity needs
    • cross-regional planning and strategy creation
    • increasing affordability through scale
  • digital infrastructure - what is needed to ensure it is fit for purpose, such as expanding full-fibre networks, 5G capabilities, and enabling the Midlands to take advantage of industry opportunities
• emerging technology:
  
  • establishing regional leadership - identifying opportunities for the Midlands to lead in new sectors and productive industries, through:
    
    • leveraging investment for innovation centres
    • commercialising new technologies
    • enhancing capabilities in high-value industry and manufacturing
  • a bottom-up approach - supporting a grass roots attitude to technology development, such as mobilising universities, engaging with local SMEs, and building domestic supply chains
• decarbonisation:
  
  • coordination - creating joined-up strategy and overcoming challenges to achieving net-zero ambitions for the Midlands
  • the energy mix - looking at energy supply, developing low-carbon technologies, and opportunities for involving regional industries

A scan of relevant developments:

• the Midlands Engine - a broad policy initiative to drive economic growth across the region and maximise its potential, leveraging expertise and engagement from across the economy, including local business partnerships and industry and city leaders
• Midlands Rail Hub and Midlands Connect:
  
  • the Midlands Connect transport strategy, due for publication in late 2021, updating the 2017 version to work towards goals around the levelling up agenda and economic recovery
  • as well as continued development on the Midlands Rail Hub, which aims to deliver £2bn of improvements to east-west rail connections
• High-Speed Rail Two Phase 2a:
  
  • enhancing direct rail connectivity between the Midlands, London, and the South of London
  • as well as aiming to establish high-speed rail connections across cities in the Midlands and the North of England
• East Midlands Development Corporation submits business case to Government - in March the Development Corporation submitted its case to the Treasury in hope of unlocking the massive potential for development in the region
• £50m invested in businesses as British Business Bank’s regional funds focus on net-zero - the regional funds, the Midland’s Engine Investment Fund and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, have enabled significant investment into small businesses wishing to reduce their carbon footprint
• the Levelling Up Fund - backed by £4bn:
  
  • designed to support a holistic approach to addressing economic inequality across English regions like the Midlands
  • providing support for local infrastructure, business, and community schemes
• the UK Shared Prosperity Fund:
  
  • intended to replace the investment schemes from the EU following Brexit, such as the Midlands Engine Investment Fund
  • the fund will provide support for regional development projects including infrastructure and business
• Local and Combined Authority Mayoral elections - recent election results have seen changes across the nation, with it remaining to be seen how this will affect the priorities for the region 
• the National Infrastructure Strategy:
  
  • outlining long-term priorities for infrastructure development across the UK up to 2050
  • paying particular attention to rebalancing the economy and guiding investment into regions like the Midlands, with support for:
    
    • facilitating growth and recovery
    • funding transport projects
    • improving connectivity
    • accelerating the drive towards net-zero
• Budget 2021 - intended to outline a financial policy pathway for the UK after the pandemic, including:
  
  • leveraging investment and policy support for the Midlands regions, including:
    
    • intra-city transport settlements
    • regional connectivity enhancements
    • funding schemes for businesses, innovation centres and communities
  • a recommitment of over £600bn public investment to support the Government’s levelling up agenda over this Parliament
  • a £100bn capital programme to support the economy and businesses
  • measures intended to reduce taxes paid by companies that invest in plant and machinery upgrades

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by officials MHCLG; BEIS and the Cities and Local Growth Unit; the National Infrastructure Commission; the Department for International Trade; the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Defra; the Environment Agency; Ofwat; HM Revenue & Customs; the National Audit Office; and the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Also due to attend are representatives from Acas West Midlands; Bruntwood SciTech; Copper Consultancy; G4S; IM Properties; Jacobs; Leicestershire County Council; Money and Pensions Service; Movement to Work; NHS Business Services Authority; PDMS; St Giles Trust; Tarmac; TBAT Innovation; The Royal Society; University College Birmingham and University of Bedfordshire.

A press pass has been reserved by a representative from Construction News.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference is examining the raft of UK government policy initiatives aimed at addressing regional inequality and securing economic recovery across the nations and regions of the UK.

Delegates will examine the new funding and support frameworks being developed to replace EU funding following Brexit, and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, looking at key opportunities and issues.

Areas for discussion include:

• the Levelling Up Fund - priorities for allocation and the project bidding process, as well as maximising its impact for left-behind regions
• the UK Shared Prosperity Fund - next steps for pilot projects, working with national and regional administrations, and managing the transition from support that previously came through the EU
• further policy development:
  
  • supporting the infrastructure development needed to support economic growth
  • coordination with the green recovery and wider policy agenda
  • further options for policy to support economic recovery and wellbeing across the UK

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; the Cities and Local Growth Unit; Defra; the DCMS; the DfE; the DHSC; the DIT; the Department for the Economy, NI; the DfT; the Department of Finance, NI; the DWP; the Food Standards Agency; the Home Office; HMRC; the IPO; MHCLG; the NAO; the ONS; the Office of Government Property; the ORR; the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales; Ofsted; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government; as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Lords.

The agenda:

• The outlook for supporting economic growth and regeneration across the UK
• Priorities for taking forward the Levelling Up Fund, delivering ‘real impact’ for left-behind regions, tackling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on growth, and ensuring a fair bidding process for projects
• Major infrastructure development and regeneration to support economic recovery and growth
• Transitioning towards the Shared Prosperity Fund, and priorities for supporting devolved nations and addressing regional inequality

Key areas for discussion:

The economic development landscape

• assessing the impact of the pandemic on growth, the policy response, and what is needed going forward

The Levelling Up Fund and agenda

• priorities for government proposals for the fund, with the launch of the first round of competitions planned for this year:
  
  • administration and targeting:
    
    • local, regional and national needs - ensuring that funding supports projects and developments that are optimally suited to varying economic and social priorities across the UK
    • how the Fund should be delivered - and what more can be done to ensure a fair bidding process for projects
    • designing allocation mechanisms - ensuring that the Fund benefits the areas that are most in need
  • joined-up policy:
    
    • linking with other government initiatives aimed at supporting economic growth - including the National Home Building Fund, the Towns Fund and the Future High Streets Fund
    • coordination with wider priorities - including a green economic recovery, job creation, and the path to net-zero
  • COVID-19 - accounting for the impact of the pandemic on growth, wellbeing and inequalities, and discussing what is most needed for responding to the ongoing challenges it poses

Major infrastructure

• priorities for identifying, scoping and agreeing projects across the UK with the greatest potential to unlock growth and attract investment into the UK’s nations and regions

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund:

• the transition to the fund following the UK’s exit from the EU:
  
  • pilot projects:
    
    • how funds should be allocated to ensure that they address regional inequality
    • how they will need to work to best support local authorities to be ready to roll out the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
  • the UK Government’s approach:
    
    • ensuring regional needs are met - what is needed from Westminster in working with devolved national and regional administrations to design a system that ensures distinctive needs and priorities are met fairly across the UK
    • continuity of support following Brexit - making certain that the fund adequately replaces previous EU funds for devolved nations, regional authorities and local communities

What next for the levelling up agenda

• considering the wider long-term policy options for supporting economic development and recovery across the UK

The context at a glance:

• the £4bn Levelling Up Fund - introduced in the Spending Review alongside a range of government measures aimed at supporting its levelling up agenda, including:
  
  • Fund extended to help level-up every corner of United Kingdom - further funding available for regions all across the UK
  • Levelling Up Fund: prospectus - information available to local areas on how to apply for the fund
  • the National Home Building Fund - £7.1bn to support building more homes and levelling up communities
  • the Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund - a regeneration package which includes £830m for 72 areas across England to support recovery from the pandemic
• the National Infrastructure Strategy - outlining:
  
  • the UK’s long-term priorities for infrastructure development and investment
  • plans to develop a new UK Infrastructure Bank to finance major new investment projects
• a UK Shared Prosperity Fund - planned to replace EU funding, and support levelling up across the UK:
  
  • pilot projects - being set up to help prepare local communities for introduction of the Fund, with further details expected soon
  • UK Community Renewal Fund: prospectus 2021-22 - this early set of funds aims to help local authorities prepare for the shift to the Shared Prosperity Fund
  • CST response to Scottish Government - from the UK Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance:
    
    • presenting the Fund as a UK project, aimed at levelling up areas in most need
    • confirming that the total domestic UK-wide funding will at least match EU receipts
  • a Scottish Shared Prosperity Fund (SSPF) - plans set out by the Scottish Government for its own scheme designed to ensure Scotland’s priorities are met

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Lords, and officials from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; the Cities and Local Growth Unit; Defra; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; the Department of Education; the Department of Health and Social Care; the Department for International Trade; the Department for the Economy, NI; the Department for Transport; the Department of Finance, NI; the DWP; the Food Standards Agency; the Home Office; HM Revenue and Customs; the Intellectual Property Office; the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; the National Audit Office; the Office for National Statistics; the Office of Government Property; the Office of Rail and Road; the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales; Ofsted; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from stakeholders involved with national levelling up efforts, including local enterprise partnerships, county and city councils, investment groups and consultancies, funding bodies, knowledge exchange networks, charities and social enterprises, construction and engineering groups, property developers, urban and city planners, environmental groups, resident collectives, researchers in academia and higher education, together with reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference focuses on next steps for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.

Areas for discussion include:

• infrastructure development - maximising its impact on economic development in the Arc, and priorities for transport and housing
• the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus - examining its proposals, including next steps for investment
• global profile - latest thinking on how to achieve the Arc’s potential for leadership in R&D, and how to attract more high-value businesses
• a coordinated regional approach - progress and outstanding issues in joining up local industrial strategies
• inclusiveness and stewardship - ensuring that growth ambitions take into account environmental and species protection, and engagement and benefit across communities

The conference takes place in the wake of significant policy developments aimed at responding to the health and financial challenges caused by COVID-19, and with the Arc having been described by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as a key economic priority for the country.

The conference is bringing together stakeholders with parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and key policy officials who are due to attend from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; DCMS; Defra; the DIT; the DfT; HMRC; the MHCLG and the Office of Government Property.

The agenda:

• Supporting economic development across the Arc
• Key takeaways from the Economic Prospectus and progress on project delivery
• Boosting economic growth in the region in the wake of the pandemic and taking forward the Arc Spatial Framework
  
  • Priorities for attracting high-performing industries, investing in skills and improving productivity
  • Next steps for establishing the Arc as global leader in R&D and innovation
  • Developing a joined-up approach to the implementation of the Local Industrial Strategies
  • Delivering balanced growth throughout the Arc
• Delivering infrastructure to unlock the Arc’s potential
  
  • Streamlining connectivity, engaging communities, and reducing barriers to growth
  • Housing delivery in the Arc and levelling up communities
  • Upgrading transport infrastructure to support growth
  • Priorities for ensuring species and landscapes protection in the Arc and moving towards net zero
• Government’s priorities for the Arc

Key areas for discussion:

• the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus - assessing its key recommendations, including calls for the Government on:
  
  • the Arc’s wider role - looking at how the plans for the area can best fit into the national ambition to cement the UK as a science superpower under the R&D Roadmap
  • investment - establishing direct Arc-governed channels to the sources of finance that can match the region’s ambitions
• the strategic elements - looking at ways to drive the economic recovery of the region, and the role of the Arc in the wider national economic recovery, with discussion expected on:
  
  • playing to the Arc’s strengths - how the region’s leadership in science, technology and advanced manufacturing can best be harnessed
  • collaboration - how joint working already going on between businesses, education and research institutions can be built on going forward
  • Local Industrial Strategies - progress in implementing the four LISs across the Arc, and the challenges faced in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • the four new development corporations - their purpose and potential, and assessing the case outlined in plans for the spatial framework
• infrastructure in the Arc:
  
  • priorities for improvement - with calls for more investment, and concern over the impact of connectivity and congestion constraints on the ability to fully unlock the potential of the region
  • current key focus areas - looking at East West Rail, broadband connectivity and the Government’s ambitions for 1m new homes to be built in the Arc by 2050
  • support - the impact of recent government announcements, including an additional £4m in the Spending Review to help accelerate housing and infrastructure delivery in the Arc
  • the National Infrastructure Strategy - examining wider priorities for developing infrastructure in the Arc, including for:
    
    • delivery - the way forward for improving and accelerating implementation of infrastructure projects, and speeding up planning and procurement
    • private investment - how funding can be encouraged and diversified
    • decarbonisation - looking at heat, power and transport networks across the Arc
  • changing demands - with the pandemic having impacted the ways in which people use infrastructure:
    
    • the new normal - prospects for increased home working and active travel post-pandemic
    • implications - how new trends and habits should inform policy and the direction of infrastructure projects in the Arc
  • contributing to net-zero - ways to manage potential impacts on biodiversity, emissions and natural capital from economic growth and increased connectivity in the Arc

Relevant developments:

• key proposals:
  
  • the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Economic Prospectus - recently submitted to the Government:
    
    • setting out a vision to transform the Arc into a world-leading innovation and productivity hub and double the region’s economic output to £200bn by 2050
    • requesting long-term investment in the area to help the Arc fulfil its potential
  • The Oxford-Cambridge Arc: government ambition and joint declaration between government and local partners - published in 2019
• Government's plan to transform Oxford-Cambridge Arc into UK's fastest growing economic region - from MHCLG, announcing:
  
  • a spatial framework plan due to be published in 2022, with consultation and aiming to create employment, grow investment, protect and improve the environment, and develop infrastructure
  • the aim of ensuring that benefits of economic and infrastructure development, and placemaking, are spread across the region
  • plans for establishing an Arc Growth Body as a single voice for the area in driving and supporting economic growth
• the Oxford Local Plan 2036 - adopted by the Oxford City Council and laying out plans for the delivery of new jobs, homes and infrastructure in Oxford as well as the Oxfordshire Investment Plan
• the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Economic Recovery Strategy - aimed at helping the region's economy recover and renew following COVID-19
• the government announces preferred East West Rail central section - route E, for the Cambridge-Bedford section
• other major strategies and support packages:
  
  • the £10bn package to build more homes and level up communities in the Spending Review
  • the recent Energy White Paper
  • the National Infrastructure Strategy
  • the upcoming R&D Places Strategy following the UK Research and Development Roadmap
• the East West Rail Project - awarded £760m by the Department for Transport to reinstate services between Bicester in Oxfordshire and Bletchley in Buckinghamshire

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons, and officials from BEIS; the Cabinet Office; Defra; the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; HM Revenue & Customs; the MHCLG and the Office of Government Property.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from local authorities within the Oxford-MK-Cambridge Arc as well as directly adjacent areas, engineering companies, transport providers, housing developers, environmental groups, investors, colleges and universities, lawyers, consultants, housing associations, local community representatives, business and industry associations, trade unions, academics, together with reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will discuss the key policy priorities for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agenda includes case studies from across the UK on initiatives on homelessness, and discussion on the continued implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act.

Areas for discussion include:

• the impact of the pandemic and emerging issues
• homelessness policy and legislation - with discussion on the Homelessness Reduction Act, as well as the Everyone In scheme and Housing First pilots
• local approaches to homelessness reduction - and case studies from London and Scotland on initiatives to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping
• meeting the long-term housing needs of vulnerable people

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from MHCLG; DHSC; the DWP; HMPPS; the Home Office; the MoJ; the ONS; Defra; and the Welsh Government..

The agenda:

• Homelessness and rough sleeping - the impact of the pandemic and emerging issues
• Housing rough sleepers during the pandemic - implications for the future
• Developing and delivering local approaches to homelessness reduction - key themes from the call for evidence on the Homelessness Reduction Act
• Tackling rough sleeping in London during COVID-19
• Reducing homelessness in Scotland - learning from best practice and engaging with the third sector
• Meeting the long-term housing needs of vulnerable people - the Housing First pilots, the pandemic, and strategies for collaborative working across housing, health, local authorities and third sector

Key areas for discussion:

• the Homelessness Reduction Act - ongoing implementation, following the government response to its recent consultation and publication of an evaluation commissioned by MHCLG:
  
  • practicalities at a local level - drawing on experience of implementation and assessing what is being effective
  • options for support - for local authorities, housing associations and third sector partners, such as:
    
    • with personalised housing plans
    • to build upon the work on the prevention duty, viewed by the independent review as the most effective element of the Act in achieving positive outcomes for more service users
  • the duty to refer - addressing issues outlined in the consultation response, with almost as many respondents finding it had no impact as those reported it helping prevent homelessness
  • responsiveness to service users - discussing the experiences of people approaching their local authority for help, and how this has changed in the pandemic
  • temporary accommodation - what more can be done to improve its quality and provision, and ensure that support is reaching those who need it most
• the impact of COVID-19 - policy priorities, best practice, and meeting the long-term housing needs of vulnerable people:
  
  • the Everyone In scheme - what lessons can be learnt from its success, including in reducing COVID-19 infections among rough sleepers
  • local initiatives during the pandemic - work being done by councils and combined authorities:
    
    • case studies included in the agenda - tackling rough sleeping in London, and the approach in Scotland to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping
    • options for supporting local services - and the effectiveness of Government schemes aimed at addressing homelessness and rough sleeping over the winter and spring period
  • the Housing First pilots - impact on the aim of supporting rough sleepers with complex needs into stable, affordable accommodation and what can be learnt to inform future programmes
  • preventing homelessness - safeguarding those struggling to pay rent, and options for increasing support through the benefit system in the face of economic turmoil resulting from COVID-19
  • options for policy - what more might be required to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping, support local services, and encourage collaboration across key sectors, and prospects for urgent review into the causes of rough sleeping

A scan of relevant developments:

• the Homelessness Reduction Act - the call for evidence designed to support its ongoing implementation, the government response, and independent evaluation on progress
• Rough sleepers to be helped to keep safe this winter:
  
  • government plans aimed at supporting rough sleepers and those at risk of becoming homeless as part of its winter rough sleeping plan
  • the Everyone In scheme - implemented in the first lockdown, with a study published in The Lancet finding that it had reduced COVID-19 infections among rough sleepers
  • the Protect Programme - £15m in further government funding for providing accommodation to rough sleepers during lockdowns
• the COVID-19 Rough Sleeping Taskforce - with its former head and review lead, Dame Louise Casey, warning that unless benefits were increased to compensate for people's loss of earnings the UK risks a period of destitution with rising homelessness, and family and child poverty
• COVID-19 Vaccination plan - local vaccination services extended to reach homeless groups unable to attend vaccination sites
• COVID-19 protections allocated for rough sleepers and renters - extra funding support to all councils in England, who are asked to strengthen their efforts to help accommodate everyone who is currently sleeping rough, and to ensure they are registered with a GP
• Funding allocated for 3,300 new homes for rough sleepers - long-term provision for vulnerable people planned to be available by the end of March 2021
• the Rough Sleeping Strategy - with the Government’s target of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and ending it by 2027
• the charter for social housing residents: social housing white paper - including plans to consider how best to remove access barriers to social housing for homeless households
• Action to help prevent vulnerable young people from becoming homeless - new guidance for councils to help them ensure that care leavers have the stable homes they need
• Extra help for rough sleepers with drug and alcohol dependency - £23m for 43 areas across England this year, boosted by a further £52m in 2021 to 2022
• Government pledges further £310m to tackle homelessness - new funding allocated to councils most in need, with an increase of £47m from last year aimed at helping those at risk of homelessness and those in temporary accommodation, and offering support to those already without homes

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. ). Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from MHCLG; Defra; DHSC; the DWP; Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service; the Home Office; the Ministry of Justice; the Office for National Statistics; and the Welsh Government.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full conference taking place online***
This conference is examining the future for social housing in England.

The discussion is bringing together stakeholders with key policy officials who are due to attend from MHCLG; DWP; the HSE; HMRC; BEIS; DfT; and DIT.

The agenda:

• Key and emerging issues for social housing in England
• The Social Housing White Paper and priorities for the future regulation of social housing
• Improving the provision and quality of social housing - regulation, financial sustainability, tenant engagement and support and ensuring safety
• Making best use of land in delivering social housing
• Innovation in new social housing - design, delivery, funding and planning
• Priorities for implementing the White Paper on Social Housing and wider government policy

The discussion at a glance:

• implementing the Social Housing White Paper - looking at:
  
  • impact - on residents, and landlords and social housing providers
  • sector priorities - what actions and support will be required to put in place the measures envisaged in the White Paper
  • regulation - priorities for the the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in fulfilling their new duties and responsibilities in setting standards and in other areas
  • regulatory coordination - how should the RSH, the HSE and the Building Safety regulator organise the information sharing and joint working being put forward in the White Paper
  • safety and security - the next steps needed on smoke and CO alarms, and on electrical and other areas of ensuring the safety of residents
  • landlord accountability - how the new requirements will affect landlords and the social housing market, and the practicalities of putting in place the support needed by residents
  • complaints - looking at best practice on communication and dispute resolution, as well as enforcement
  • quality - the role of landlords and other stakeholders beyond housing itself, in areas such as provision of green spaces and tackling anti-social behaviour
  • affordable housing - assessing the measures outlined on house building, shared ownership, design and finance for home buyers
• sector recovery - the support that is needed for social housing providers and the tenants they serve, and for the construction industry, to get back on track in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
• planning - the impact of recently-announced reform to streamline the system on building more social homes in the areas where they are needed most
• safety and quality of social homes - with plans for a new Building Safety Regulator following the Building a safer future: proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system consultation
• investment - further steps for attracting finance for new projects and learning from what works well in other sectors
• innovation and collaboration
  
  • new approaches - in design and other areas for delivering new homes which enhance the community, support healthy lives, protect biodiversity and meeting changes in demand
  • best practice in design, delivery and working with partners from housing associations and local authorities - and the role of MMC and off-site or modular construction

Key policy developments:

• The charter for social housing residents - the Social Housing White Paper putting forward a set of rights and expectations on behalf of residents, including:
  
  • safety and security
  • landlord accountability - as well as transparency on their performance in areas such as spending, repairs, complaints and safety
  • complaints - the right for them to be addressed fairly without undue delay, as well as access to redress through an ombudsman
  • respectful treatment - backed by a consumer regulator and improved consumer standards
  • contact - through regular landlord meetings, scrutiny panels or board membership, backed by government support for the skills needed by residents to enable them to effectively engage
  • quality - in homes themselves, their maintenance, and in the neighbourhood environment
  • opportunities for home ownership where possible
• the Planning For the Future White Paper - with an increased affordable housing threshold on smaller sites, zonal planning, new local design codes, and local authority housing delivery requirements
• the Draft Building Safety Bill - with wide-ranging changes designed to improve building and fire safety, including the creation of a new Building Safety Regulator
• the National Design Guide and planned National Model Design Code - aimed at producing homes that can enhance the community, promote healthy lives and support local biodiversity
• latest Quarterly survey from the Regulator of Social Housing - finding a financially strong sector in September largely unaffected by the Coronavirus pandemic
• 90,000 new social homes a year achievable with Government support - findings from the HCLG Select Committee as part of their Long-term delivery of social and affordable rented housing inquiry
• £3bn affordable housing guarantee scheme to be operated by Ara Venn - recently announced to provide cost-effective long-term loans to providers of affordable homes
• launch of prospectus inviting bids for the Affordable Housing Programme - being extended to safeguard affordable homes whose construction was stalled due to the pandemic, as well as a new £12bn settlement to start next year targeting the creation of approximately 180,000 new affordable homes

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from MHCLG; DWP; HM Revenue & Customs; BEIS; the Department for International Trade; the Department for Transport; and the Health and Safety Executive.

Overall, we expect speakers and attendees to be a senior and informed group including Members of both Houses of Parliament, senior government and regulatory officials involved in this area of policy, as well as from representatives from the construction industry and their partners and advisors, developers and landlords, tenant and citizen’s groups, charities and campaigning organisations, local authorities and planning specialists, buildings safety and legal specialists, investors, the wider business community, and social and academic commentators, together with reporters from the national and specialist media.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording and transcript to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference