Local Government Reorganisation

Baroness Thornhill Excerpts

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Lansley. The criteria will be looked at as part of this review process. It is important that we take account of the legal advice—we are not going to publish it—and look at the impact on the future programme; it would be unwise not to do so.

On the issues around Cambridge, the noble Lord asked me about elections. Let me start with the October decision-making. We had said to colleagues in Cambridge and Peterborough—and indeed in West Sussex, where decisions had not been taken—that we would endeavour to have decisions in October. Both those areas will go into the review process, so those decisions will now be announced alongside the other areas that are being reviewed. I hope that that will not lead to too much further delay in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and West Sussex. Noble Lords will be aware that an important part of this process is the statutory instruments that have to go through both Houses. We were on a very tight timetable for all this anyway, so it is not likely that elections will be able to go ahead to the shadow authorities as planned in 2027. That is why we have said that elections will go ahead, but on the old boundaries.

On spatial planning, the devolution work can continue to look at planning and how that will work through in the devolution process.

[Baroness Thornhill (LD)]

My Lords—

[Lord Cryer (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Katz) (Lab)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Liberal Democrat Benches, then we will hear from the Labour Benches and the Conservative Benches.

[Baroness Thornhill (LD)]

My Lords, if the legal concerns were serious enough to halt the programme today, suddenly, with rapid action, can the Minister tell the House whether any similar concerns had been raised previously by officials, local authorities or external counsel? Will she place a letter in the Library with the chronology of the key decisions that led to the suspension of the programme, so that Parliament can understand how this arose?

To be a little more specific—I think the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, is on the same page as me in this—I am not asking the Minister to disclose privileged legal advice, but can she tell the House which aspect of the process is now considered potentially unlawful? Is it the criteria, the consultation, the decision-making or the implementation? How can Parliament scrutinise ministerial decision-making if Ministers are unwilling to explain the nature of a legal defect that has caused such extensive disruption and waste of public money?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

I will have a look at the chronology of the decision-making and talk to colleagues about it. Clearly, as I have said, very categorically, we will not be releasing the legal advice, but I appreciate that there is a chronology that takes account of the legal advice but does not divulge what it is. As to which aspects of the programme, I fear that that would be part of the privileged advice. We will look at any issues that have been raised as part of the programme of review. We will be clear and transparent about what we are doing in the review, so I hope that it will come out as part of the review process.