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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2026 to Question 28657 on Local Government: Devolution, what consideration she has given to extending the right to request to other local authorities; and if she will make it her policy to open up the right to local councils.

As set out in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, the Right to Request is a formal mechanism through which Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities can ask the Government directly for further powers, funding or partnerships. It is right that this is for mayoral authorities, as Mayors are elected directly and are at the forefront of the expansion of the devolution framework.

We are committed to expanding powers, as promised in the Rewiring the State Cabinet Statement. We will set out in the upcoming Delivery Plan how we will do this, and are working closely with Strategic Authorities, local authorities and other sector bodies and leaders to make sure we deliver the greatest transfer of power out of Whitehall in a generation.