By the senior tory mp tobias ellwood. Soaring energy bills. A large part of the rise in the cost of living. Well look at where help is being provided. Schools not out in wales, with a trial to lengthen the school day by five hours a week. And the start of the Winter Olympics torch relay heralding the official start of the games in two days� time. And coming up on the Bbc News Channel how green is your club . How tottenham and liverpool find themselves top of footballs sustainability table. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. The government is this lunchtime announcing its plans to close the gap between rich and poor areas of the country, as part of its so called levelling up agenda. The policy, which the Prime Minister has described as a defining mission, will take until 2030 to deliver, and aims to tackle regional inequalities and help overlooked communities. There are 12 missions or targets which include. Increasing regional devolution with plans to create more mayors with london style powers, improving public transport to bring it up to londons standards. Refocusing Education Spending on the most disadvantaged areas. And providing access to sg broadband to most households. And there will be increased Public Investment in research and development away from the south east. But there is no new money attached, and labour says there is little fresh thinking. Heres our Political Correspondent damian grammaticas. We area we are a government committed to levelling up. It is we are a government committed to levelling un we are a government committed to levelling lip levelling up. It is absolutely what levellin levelling up. It is absolutely what levelling up levelling up. It is absolutely what Levelling Up Is levelling up. It is absolutely what Levelling Up Is all levelling up. It is absolutely what Levelling Up Is all about. Levelling up. It is absolutely what Levelling Up Is all about. What. Levelling up. It is absolutely whati Levelling Up Is all about. What we are doinu Levelling Up Is all about. What we are doing is Levelling Up Is all about. What we are doing is levelling Levelling Up Is all about. What we are doing is levelling up. Levelling up is all about. What we are doing is levelling up. It Levelling Up Is all about. What we are doing is levelling up. It was i are doing is levelling up. It was the promise are doing is levelling up. It was the promise made are doing is levelling up. It was the promise made in are doing is levelling up. It was the promise made in the are doing is levelling up. It was the promise made in the 2019 l the promise made in the 2019 election, to make this a more equal country. This is a place like wolverhampton, one of 20 parts of england that will share £1. 5 billion to invest locally. I england that will share £1. 5 billion to invest locally. To invest locally. I think wolverhampton to invest locally. Ithink wolverhampton needsl to invest locally. I think. Wolverhampton needs to to invest locally. I think wolverhampton needs to spend to invest locally. I think wolverhampton needs to spend the money on more youth engagement, just so that the youth has something to go to. It so that the youth has something to no to. ,. , so that the youth has something to i o to, ,. , so that the youth has something to aoto. , go to. It seems to be delays of the dela s in go to. It seems to be delays of the delays in the go to. It seems to be delays of the delays in the transport. Go to. It seems to be delays of the delays in the transport. Up go to. It seems to be delays of the delays in the transport. Up until. Delays in the transport. Up until the Christmas Period they werent working the Christmas Period they werent working for six weeks. A the Christmas Period they werent working for six weeks. A lot the Christmas Period they werent working for six weeks. Working for six weeks. A lot of eole working for six weeks. A lot of Peeple Travel working for six weeks. A lot of People Travel to working for six weeks. A lot of People Travel to birmingham l working for six weeks. A lot of people Travelto Birmingham because People Travel to birmingham because more shops People Travel to birmingham because more shops in People Travel to birmingham because more shops in birmingham People Travel to birmingham because more shops in birmingham are People Travel to birmingham because more shops in birmingham are open. J more shops in birmingham are open. Round more shops in birmingham are open. Round here more shops in birmingham are open. Round here is more shops in birmingham are open. Round here is quite more shops in birmingham are open. Round here is quite nice, more shops in birmingham are open. Round here is quite nice, they more shops in birmingham are open. Round here is quite nice, theyjust. Round here is quite nice, theyjust need round here is quite nice, theyjust need to round here is quite nice, theyjust need to have round here is quite nice, theyjust need to have more round here is quite nice, theyjust need to have more shops round here is quite nice, theyjust need to have more shops open. I round here is quite nice, theyjustl need to have more shops open. The needs are need to have more shops open. Needs are many and varied. Areas that need investment range from schools to skills, transport to Job Opportunities. Every part of the country is different. Irate opportunities. Every part of the country is different. Opportunities. Every part of the country is different. We are excited about this but country is different. We are excited about this but the country is different. We are excited about this but the problem country is different. We are excited about this but the problem we country is different. We are excited| about this but the problem we have had in the West Midlands and wolverhampton is decades and decades of underinvestment which is held us back. We have always known we have loads of potential but things around our education, health and businesses, it needs the pump priming and we need power is likely to deliver some of that. Home priming and we need power is likely to deliver some of that. Priming and we need power is likely to deliver some of that. None of the investments to deliver some of that. None of the investments involved to deliver some of that. None of the investments involved new to deliver some of that. None of the investments involved new money, l to deliver some of that. None of the investments involved new money, it has all been earmarked by the treasury before. Instead there is a strategy overseen by michael gove to try to direct where the investment will go, and it will take years to deliver. I will go, and it will take years to deliver. , � ~ will go, and it will take years to deliver. , � ,. ,. ,. , deliver. I dont think anyone would sa that deliver. I dont think anyone would say that these deliver. I dont think anyone would say that these ambitions deliver. I dont think anyone would say that these ambitions are say that these ambitions are anything other than noble and right. What government will be judged by is our ability to deliver over the course of the next two years, and then onto 2030. Then onto 2030. Investing in transport then onto 2030. Investing in transport is then onto 2030. Investing in transport is part then onto 2030. Investing in transport is part of then onto 2030. Investing in transport is part of it then onto 2030. Investing in transport is part of it as then onto 2030. Investing in transport is part of it as well| then onto 2030. Investing in transport is part of it as well but will it really bring change . Many of the ideas are not new, they were part of previous strategies. Labour says it is not a new departure, just new slogans. Areas of england will be offered the chance to their own mayors. If be offered the chance to their own ma ors. , mayors. If we are genuine about levellin mayors. If we are genuine about levelling no. Mayors. If we are genuine about levelling no. I mayors. If we are genuine about levelling up, i really mayors. If we are genuine about levelling up, i really dont mayors. If we are genuine about levelling up, i really dont think| levelling up, i really dont think this white paper will do what we wanted to do, but if we were, it will be about addressing regional inequalities like health conditions, life expectancy, Educational Attainment skill levels, Job Opportunities and certainly transport connectivity and thats not what this paper does. But it does offer some opportunity for areas that have not got devolution. That might be the key to it all, whether local areas really have the power to direct local spending. The ambition is spot on. I think michael gove ambition is spot on. I think michael gove is ambition is spot on. I think michael gove is right that we need a Devolution Revolution to level up. But if Devolution Revolution to level up. But if you Devolution Revolution to level up. But if you look underneath the pledges, but if you look underneath the pledges, and we still need to see the detail, it feels like they are pushing the detail, it feels like they are pushing out the same old remedies that have pushing out the same old remedies that have failed to close the divide between that have failed to close the divide between places. For that have failed to close the divide between places between places. For an embattled Prime Minister, between places. For an embattled Prime Minister, the between places. For an embattled Prime Minister, the levelling between places. For an embattled Prime Minister, the levelling up. Prime minister, the Levelling Up Strategy is also part of his political survival strategy. A way to shift the focus from the ongoing calls for him to resign. Aha, to shift the focus from the ongoing calls for him to resign. A wonderful moral and economic calls for him to resign. A wonderful moral and Economic Mission calls for him to resign. A wonderful moral and Economic Mission to calls for him to resign. A wonderful. Moral and Economic Mission to level p moral and Economic Mission to level up and give opportunity across the whole country. A fantastic vision for this country, mr speaker. Governments have made many and similar promises before. The difficulty, changes to the face of the country will take years to be seen. Damian grammaticas, bbc news. Borisjohnson spoke of his aim of tackling regional inequality when he first entered Downing Street, and last year, the communities secretary michael gove said to view levelling up in reality, come to teesside. Our north of england correspondent, fiona trott, reports from middlesbrough. An area thats asked to be levelled up. More than four in ten children live in poverty here and people are likely to live five years less than those in london. Does todays announcement make them feel that all that will change . I wouldnt trust the government as far as i could throw them, and thats not far. The government is saying today it wants to bring the rest of the countrys transport up to the same standard as london. She laughs does that mean they are going to stop all the cars from coming in to middlesbrough . Because that wont work. They have got it going on down there and it would be nice to reciprocate what is going on in middlesbrough, basically, it would be beneficial for everything. Do you think that will happen . Do you trust the government to deliver . Hopefully. We know what these things are like, promises, promises, but you never know. I believe the government will do that, yeah. I believe in them. At the other side of town, students are learning about renewable energy, a sector that is receiving millions of pounds� worth of investment here. Weve got a reading of 6. 36. I am pretty excited for being in this field of work because i think that it is perfect for the change from steel to green energy now, and i dont have to travel for work. Im in the perfect place, it is happening in teesside where i live, so i dont have to move away. I want to go down the property route, so the whole levelling up will, like, improve that, building new houses, newjobs, the whole infrastructure created. Mums like jane sayjobs like those are out of her reach. Instead, Levelling Up Meansjust having somewhere nice to live. On the inside of our house is really nice but as soon as you come out of our front door, it lets us down. We look like scum. I think that money more money needs to be spent on education in this community or in the communities that need it, to help them respect our area and learn more respect ready| for when they have i children in the future. The development of the former steelworks is at the heart of teessides levelling up agenda. But like todays announcement, people cant yet see or feel the change. The question is do they have the patience to wait . Fiona trott, bbc news, middlesbrough. Lets get reaction to the proposals from across the country. Our south west correspondent, jenny kumah, is in camborne in cornwall, but first lets speak to our midlands correspondent, phil mackie, whos in wolverhampton. Yes, this is the new wolverhampton market, they spent £5 million moving it here, building it and market, they spent £5 million moving it here, Building Itand making it quite a nice and attractive place to visit but if you walk around the city centre, its looking quite desolate and desperate at the moment. Lots of businesses have moved out during the pandemic. Its notjust moved out during the pandemic. Its not just about making moved out during the pandemic. Its notjust about making things look pretty and attractive to come to, its about opportunities. Wolverhampton has suffered because of education over the years, it has some of the lowest attainments for the parliamentary constituencies, and one of the problems is retaining talent. Lots of famous people come to wolverhampton and havent had to leave the city to become successful and what they really want to see and what they really want to see and they have had to leave the city to become successful. And they want to become successful. And they want to see people based here ten or years down the line. They want to see the detail, they know they are getting some money, people here would welcome it but they want something to change quite quickly. Now lets go to cornwall and the selfless correspondent for the bbc. South west correspondent. I am here south west correspondent. I am here at south west correspondent. I am here at the south west correspondent. I am here at the camborne campus of cornwall here at the camborne campus of cornwall college, Playing A Key Role In Skilling cornwall college, Playing A Key Role In Skilling up people and helping with regeneration. This has one of the highest rate of deprivation in cornwall the highest rate of deprivation in cornwall and england in this area. Local cornwall and england in this area. Local Business Leaders say that the elliptical local Business Leaders say that the elliptical conversation on that has been elliptical conversation on that has been elliptical conversation on that has been political conversation on levelling been political conversation on levelling up has been concentrating on the levelling up has been concentrating on the north and midlands. They welcome on the north and midlands. They welcome announcements today to targets welcome announcements today to targets on transport, housing and Education Targets on transport, housing and education but they want more detail, particularly education but they want more detail, particularly around funding. They are keen particularly around funding. They are keen to hear about the pledge the government has made to replace eu funds the government has made to replace eu funds that helped with regenerating cornwall. Also cornwall is one regenerating cornwall. Also cornwall is one of regenerating cornwall. Also cornwall is one of nine areas which is being invited is one of nine areas which is being invited to is one of nine areas which is being invited to apply for more devolution powers. Invited to apply for more devolution powers, they are keen to find out what powers, they are keen to find out what powers they can get from westminster and how they can use that to westminster and how they can use that to control their own destiny. Jenny, that to control their own destiny. Jenny, thank you. Our economics editor, faisal islam, is here. Levelling up is a major policy but no new money . Its a significant moment, a very big mission and it started identifying something which has occurred in this country and just happened, and identifying that is a problem which the government seeks to sell, this issue of inequality. Amongst the biggest inequality. Amongst the biggest inequality in any major economy and this is a crucial i