The department is continuing to respond to the challenges that inflation presents to our levelling up programmes, working closely with the places affected.

Our project change process gives places flexibility to re-scope projects and move funding within their Future High Streets Fund portfolio, allowing them to adapt to the changing economic climate and ensure that projects remain viable.

I refer the hon. Member for Stockport to the answer given on 26 October 2022 to question 68604. This referred to all maintained nursery schools in the constituency, including Lark Hill, Hollywood and Freshfield.

The Government understands that retail workers are facing inflationary pressures driven by global factors and welcome steps announced by some retailers to support their workforce.

The Energy Price Guarantee is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs. This is in addition to the over £37bn of cost-of-living support announced earlier this year which includes the £400 non-repayable discount to eligible households provided through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. For those who require additional support we have provided an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421m, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Policy announcements on local government spending allocations will be announced in due course in the usual way.

Given neither the Department nor Avanti West Coast has a direct contractual relationship with Atalian Servest for cleaning services, no assessment has been made on the impact of inflation on cleaners employed by Atalian Servest.

The department knows that the early years sector is facing economic challenges, similar to those being faced across the country. The department has already announced additional funding of £160 million in 2022/23, £180 million in 2023/24 and £170 million in 2024/25, compared to the 2021/22 financial year, for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers. This includes all maintained nursery schools.

The department has also confirmed the continuation of maintained nursery school (MNS) supplementary funding throughout the spending review period, providing the sector with long-term certainty. More recently it has been announced that the department will be investing an additional £10 million into MNS supplementary funding from 2023/24, and have consulted on proposals to reform the distribution of this funding to ensure that it is being shared more evenly across all local authorities with MNSs. Our proposals mean that the vast majority of local authorities, including Stockport, will see their supplementary funding hourly rate increase, with a more generous increase for the lowest funded. We will respond to the consultation and publish final funding rates for 2023/24 this autumn. This is on top of the increase for this year, where we have increased the MNS supplementary hourly rate by 3.5%, equivalent to the increase in the 3 and 4-year-old hourly funding rates.

Further, the government recognises the impact rising energy prices can have on businesses, voluntary sector or public organisations of all sizes. On 21 September 2022, the former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced a new Energy Bill Relief Scheme to support eligible schools and businesses large and small, including early years providers and maintained nursery schools, with their energy costs over the winter. The Chancellor has made clear this will continue from now until April 2023.

We recognise the growing pressure on family finances, and the challenges that households are facing with the rising costs of living. We are continuing to work with local councils and sponsors to support them with their hosting arrangements.

The Government has committed to increasing National Health Service workers’ pay this year, in addition to 3% last year, when pay was frozen in the public sector.

The Government is looking to the independent Pay Review Bodies (PRBs) for a pay recommendation for the NHS. The PRBs consist of industry experts and make recommendations based on an assessment of evidence from a range of stakeholders, including NHS system partners, trades unions and the Government. The PRBs consider a range of factors including the cost of living and inflation, recruitment and retention, affordability, and value for the taxpayer. The Government will consider these recommendations before responding.