Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure combined authorities publish up-to-date, audited accounts, before devolving powers and funding to combined authorities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The non-compliance list sets out which bodies have failed to meet the relevant backstop date and includes information on whether draft accounts were published in time, the appointed auditor, whether an audit opinion was delivered by the backstop date, and whether audited accounts were subsequently published.
The list highlights that all combined authorities are compliant with the statutory requirements to publish audited accounts except Tees Valley Combined Authority, which has outstanding accounts for 2023/24 and 2024/25.
The government continues to engage with all local bodies and audit firms to ensure that issues preventing the issuance of audit opinions are resolved and that outstanding opinions are published as soon as practicable.
The statutory deadline for publishing audited accounts for 2025/26 is 31 January 2027 and the government will continue to publish the outcome of the statutory deadlines. As part of its reform of the local audit system, the government is establishing the Local Audit Office later in autumn 2026, which will strengthen accountability, transparency and oversight across the sector.
The Government has moved away from 'devolution by deal' towards a statutory Devolution Framework, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. Rather than determining individually which powers should be devolved to particular institutions, Strategic Authorities at each of the three levels in the framework will be automatically entitled to a standard set of powers, funding and collaboration agreements, with a clear route to taking on greater responsibilities.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government which combined authorities (1) have published, or (2) have not published audited accounts, in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The non-compliance list sets out which bodies have failed to meet the relevant backstop date and includes information on whether draft accounts were published in time, the appointed auditor, whether an audit opinion was delivered by the backstop date, and whether audited accounts were subsequently published.
The list highlights that all combined authorities are compliant with the statutory requirements to publish audited accounts except Tees Valley Combined Authority, which has outstanding accounts for 2023/24 and 2024/25.
The government continues to engage with all local bodies and audit firms to ensure that issues preventing the issuance of audit opinions are resolved and that outstanding opinions are published as soon as practicable.
The statutory deadline for publishing audited accounts for 2025/26 is 31 January 2027 and the government will continue to publish the outcome of the statutory deadlines. As part of its reform of the local audit system, the government is establishing the Local Audit Office later in autumn 2026, which will strengthen accountability, transparency and oversight across the sector.
The Government has moved away from 'devolution by deal' towards a statutory Devolution Framework, as set out in the English Devolution White Paper and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. Rather than determining individually which powers should be devolved to particular institutions, Strategic Authorities at each of the three levels in the framework will be automatically entitled to a standard set of powers, funding and collaboration agreements, with a clear route to taking on greater responsibilities.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the process for the sale of scrap metal from the ex-Redcar Steelworks has brought value for money for the public.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The independent panel’s report was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.
The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.
As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the terms of reference within which they were established.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the report commissioned by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in May 2023 about the activity of the Tees Valley combined authority with regard to Teesworks Ltd. and the sale of land formerly part of the Redcar Steelworks will be published.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The independent panel’s report was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.
The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.
As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the terms of reference within which they were established.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have scrutinised the published accounts for Teesworks Ltd. in 2022–23; and what assessment they have made of the price at which the 90 acres of land were sold to Teesworks Ltd.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The independent panel’s report was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.
The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.
As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the terms of reference within which they were established.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the governance arrangements for the South Tees Development Corporation are adequate to oversee the public interest.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The independent panel’s report was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.
The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.
As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the terms of reference within which they were established.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the auditing arrangements for combined authorities.
Answered by Baroness Penn
All combined authorities are legally required to have an audit committee. The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, and the Combined Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Access to Information Audit Committees) Order 2017, set the requirements for audit committees in combined authorities. These arrangements ensure that there is independent assurance of combined authorities governance, internal control and risk management arrangements, as well as the statutory financial reporting process.
Separately, combined authorities, in line with the requirements on all local authorities, are required to publish audited annual financial accounts. Combined authorities are not immune to the cross-system challenges currently facing the local audit market. The government working with system partners has developed proposals to tackle the exceptional circumstance of the current backlog and ensure a return to timely delivery of high-quality financial reporting and external audit in local bodies. We will consult on these imminently.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria were used in the Town Deals selection process in rejecting four of the eleven towns in the north east of England that had been recommended by officials to ministers.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Ministers considered a range of factors as part of the selection process for Town Deals, including income deprivation, productivity and exposure to economic shocks. We recognise that there are more towns in need than we were able to support through this first set of Town Deals and have committed to a further competitive element of the Towns Fund. More information will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they estimate will be the amount raised as a result of the two per cent flexibility increase in council tax rates by (1) Newcastle City Council, (2) Northumberland County Council, (3) North Tyneside Council, (4) South Tyneside Council, (5) Gateshead Council, (6) Sunderland City Council, and (7) Durham County Council, in the next financial year.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Each of these authorities chose to use the full two per cent adult social care precept. Local authorities have estimated how much they expect to raise in council tax receipts, and this is among the information in the Department’s recent National Statistics publication, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2016 to 2017.
The additional receipts as a result of the adult social care precept for 2016-17 for these authorities are shown in the table.
Estimated additional council tax revenue in 2016-17 as a result of each local authority's use of the adult social care precept (ÂŁ) | |
Durham | 3,574,000 |
Gateshead | 1,485,000 |
Newcastle upon Tyne | 1,752,000 |
North Tyneside | 1,512,000 |
Northumberland | 2,828,000 |
South Tyneside | 974,000 |
Sunderland | 1,602,000 |
Source: Table 9, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2016 to 2017, Department for Communities and Local Government (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2016-to-2017)
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost to the public purse as a result of the introduction of the National Living Wage for social care workers in each of the seven authorities in the Northeast Local Economic Partnership area in the next financial year.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
No such estimate has been made. The Spending Review took account of the costs of implementing the National Living Wage and set out a sustainable basis for local authorities to discharge their functions. The Government outlined a package of support, providing up to ÂŁ3.5 billion a year by 2019-20, to ensure councils are able to support some of their older and most vulnerable residents.