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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the provisions in the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, on (a) localism and (b) communities.

The government sees the policies set out in the English Devolution White Paper as supportive of communities and the localism agenda. The White Paper is clear that we cannot deliver the change the public expect, whether more growth, more homes, more joined-up services, or restored trust, without more empowered communities and local government. Its approach to community empowerment focuses on putting people in control of their own lives, alongside devolving power away from Westminster.

That is why alongside committing to greater devolution of powers to area it commits to measures such as replacing the community ‘Right to Bid’ with a strengthened ‘Right to Buy’ Assets of Community Value, creating a more robust pathway to community asset ownership. It’s also why we have recognised the importance of a thriving local media sector that can continue to play an invaluable role by reporting on the issues that matter to communities and, in the context of local government reorganisation, want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level. Together we have assessed this provides a positive impact on localism and communities.