Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Enabling remote attendance and proxy voting at local authority meetings, published on 24 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness of in-person debate and (b) potential impact of in-person debate on decision making.

The attendance of elected members at local authority meetings is a core part of the democratic process at the local level, and is integral to members carrying out their functions effectively. At the same time, the Government recognises that there are circumstances in which it may not always be possible for members to attend meetings in person. We will consider all responses to the consultation before deciding on a course of action.