Rutland Lieutenancy

Baroness Berridge Excerpts

Tuesday 15th July 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Berridge]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to protect the ceremonial status of Rutland’s lieutenancy in the forthcoming local government reorganisation.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Baroness Taylor of Stevenage) (Lab)]

My Lords, how wonderful to go from the outer reaches of the world to Rutland and the lieutenancy. That is the benefit of our House. I thank the noble Baroness for her Question. I understand that she has close personal connections with Rutland.

Our Government believe that the historic identity, rights and privileges of counties in England are extremely important and should be safeguarded and celebrated. There is no intention that reorganisation will impact on ceremonial rights and privileges, and we will ensure that they are maintained. Where specific provision is needed in legislation, this will be considered as necessary to reflect the local circumstances in each area. On Rutland, Minister McMahon has met and provided written assurances to Alicia Kearns MP. I have met the leader of Rutland County Council, who also raised this issue with me.

[Baroness Berridge (Con)]

I thank the Minister for the clarification that if legislation is needed to protect the county status, it will be given. I am sure the Answer will be welcomed by the more than 7,000 people in Rutland who signed the petition about the ceremonial status that was presented in the other place by Alicia Kearns recently. But will the Minister please confirm the timing of that legislation? That is the issue that people from Rutland have raised with me. Bizarrely, when the unitary authority is abolished, the ceremonial status will be abolished. Can the Minister confirm that that will not happen until primary legislation has preserved that status? Which legislation is it envisaged that that issue would be within the scope of?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

We are still in the process of working with that local area on its proposals for unitary local government. We invited its proposals, and councils in the area sent us their interim plans in March and received detailed written feedback on those submissions in June. At this stage, no decisions have been taken on those interim proposals, so decisions will be taken on that in due course. The legislation to enact the devolution proposals has just been introduced in the other place. So, as that proceeds, we will be considering carefully the sequencing of any further legislation that is needed in respect of these ceremonial boundaries, which we all want to protect and safeguard.