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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2017 to Question 69471, what plans he has to facilitate the merger of Waveney and Suffolk Coastal district councils to form a new East Suffolk Authority.

If having considered all relevant information and representations, as explained in the answer of 18 April 2017, we reach a final decision in favour of the merger, we will seek Parliamentary approval to the necessary secondary legislation to effect that merger. If Parliament approves the legislation, it will be for the councils concerned to implement the merger. We intend to work with any councils implementing mergers.