In the meantime, however, we seek clarification on the following aspects of the methodology used for these funds: • How the UK Government assures itself that the criteria used to prioritise areas will, in turn, ensure that funding is awarded to those places most in need; • the extent to which you consider that the approach the UK Government chose to classifying priority areas under both the LUF and CRF adequately recognises rurality and connectivity challenges faced in areas such as the Highlands and Island or pockets of deprivation within local authorities; • why transport connectivity was included in the methodology for the LUF for England but not for Scotland and Wales; • the reasons for single year indicators being chosen to determine priority areas rather than multi year averages and, more generally, how the UK Government’s approach has taken account...