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Written Question
Local Government: Devolution and Elections
Thursday 13th February 2025

Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter regarding local government reorganisation sent by the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution to the leaders of all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitary authorities, published on 15 January, what assessment they have made of the capacity of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Boundary Commission for England to meet the Government’s proposed timetable for devolution; and in how many areas is it practical to cancel local council elections to achieve the Government's objectives.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Devolution Priority Programme will provide a fast-track to mayoral devolution, aiming to see a new wave of mayoral elections in May 2026. The areas on the Devolution Priority Programme will receive the full backing of government to deliver to these ambitious timescales. We will commence Government-led consultations in early in February, and we have a team in the department who will be focused on supporting these places through the process.

My department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authorities.

The Government wrote to local authorities in December setting out that, where it will help deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe, the government would be prepared to postpone local elections from May 2025 to May 2026. Of the 18 requests, Government agreed that for Norfolk and Suffolk; Essex and Thurrock; Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; East Sussex and West Sussex postponement is essential for the delivery of the Devolution Priority Programme and complementary reorganisation. Government has also agreed to postpone elections in Surrey, where reorganisation is essential to unlocking devolution options.


Written Question
Local Government: Elections
Thursday 30th January 2025

Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter regarding local government reorganisation sent by the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution to the leaders of all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitary authorities, published on 15 January, what statutory process and timetable they expect to use to postpone the May 2025 local council elections in areas that request this; and what consultation will be undertaken with all principal authorities in those areas.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As set out in my colleague’s letter of 16 December, the Minister will only consider these requests where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. A decision will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible. If the decision is to make secondary legislation to postpone elections from May 2025 to 2026, such legislation would be subject to the negative resolution procedure and would come into force no sooner than 21 days after it is laid in Parliament.

The powers in the Local Government Act 2000 under which that legislation will be made do not apply a statutory requirement to undertake consultation. However, the 16 December letter to all councils in two-tier areas and small neighbouring unitaries welcomed views on any matters raised in the letter. Future consultation will be undertaken on devolution and on the reorganisation proposals that are subsequently developed for all areas to which those proposals apply.


Written Question
Listed Buildings
Monday 16th December 2024

Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many reviews are currently outstanding for decisions to be made by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on whether or not to list a building, and what is the average time to conclude a review.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

There are currently 9 review cases under consideration. The oldest case was received on 11th April 2024 and the most recent came in on 24th November 2024.

The designation review process itself is non-statutory, which means there is no statutory obligation to respond to cases within a specific timeframe, however we undertake to complete them as swiftly as possible once all new evidence and advice from Historic England, if required, is received.

All designation review requests received by the Department will be carefully considered and the decisions confirmed in due course.


Written Question
Ports: Fees and Charges
Monday 2nd December 2024

Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the overall competitiveness of UK port charges on a regional basis for the bulk cargoes that support global trade, in comparison with those of the UK's principal trading partners in the European Union.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

No such formal assessment has been made. However, the UK ports sector is market-oriented and competitive both internally and externally, with ample capacity available at national level for bulk cargoes.


Written Question
Solar Power
Thursday 7th November 2024

Asked by: Lord Fuller (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government for how many hectares, and in which locations, are applications currently being considered for large-scale solar farms under the 'nationally significant infrastructure project' regime; and what aggregate assessment they have made of the consequent effect on national food security and other competing land uses.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The application details for live planning cases are available from the Planning Inspectorate’s website. There are currently two live Nationally Significant Infrastructure solar cases:

West Burton: 886 hectares on the Lincolnshire/Nottinghamshire border.

Heckington Fen: 524 hectares, in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire.

An Environmental Statement forms part of an application for development consent and includes a description of the likely significant effects of the proposed development on the environment, including on land use and any impacts resulting from the cumulation of effects with other projects.

These impacts are considered during the planning enquiry and weighed up in the planning balance when the Secretary of State makes his decision.