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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the Dorset (Structural Changes) (Modification of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007) Regulations 2018 disapply the provision in Section 7(3) of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 to require consultation with every local authority affected before making an order under Section 7(1)(a) of that 2007 Act.

The modifications provided by the 2018 Regulations are designed to enable a streamlined locally led process for structural change to be taken forward, having regard to the extensive consultation undertaken by Dorset councils, and the opportunity for those interested to make representations - provided by the Secretary of State in the representation period running from 7 November 2017 until 8 January 2018.