Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with local government representatives on ensuring social value is taken into account in proposals for greater devolution; and what his policy is on the recommendation of the Local Government Association's National Procurement Strategy for Local Government on the wider adoption of Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

The Government is looking at the full costs and benefits of devolution proposals in line with Government guidance. This is supported by detailed conversations with areas to help them refine their work such as guidance about onward devolution to neighbourhoods.

The Government fully supports local authorities applying the concept of social value more widely than required by the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 and this is reflected in the Revised Best Value Statutory Guidance which was published in March of this year and can be viewed at the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revised-best-value-statutory-guidance