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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to devolve powers to people resident in (a) West Lancashire and (b) Lancashire.

The Government has introduced the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill that will enable the devolution of powers to local areas to drive economic growth. The Government welcomes proposals for increased powers and greater freedoms to maximise economic growth from all parts of the country and I met with the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership on Friday 3 July to hear how this opportunity can build on the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal and Lancashire Growth Deal.