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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to make a decision on whether to extend The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 to allow local authorities to meet online beyond the 7 May 2021.

On the 25 March 2021, the Government announced the regulations made under Section 78 of the Coronavirus Act which do not apply to meetings after 6 May.

Extending the regulations to meetings after this date would require primary legislation.

We have considered the case for legislation carefully, including the significant impact it would have on the Government’s legislative programme which is already under severe pressure in these unprecedent times. We are also mindful of the excellent progress that has been made on our vaccination programme and the announcement of the Government’s roadmap for lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Given this context, the Government has concluded that it is not possible to bring forward emergency legislation on this issue at this time.