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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with local authority leaders in England on the funding that local authorities require to respond to the covid-19 outbreak.

The Local Government Secretary has been working with local authorities and their leaders to understand the challenges and pressures experienced by councils from the Covid-19 outbreak. Local government is an essential part of our response to Covid-19 and the funding package of a further £1.6 billion, announced on 18 April, recognises the additional costs and pressures on finances that councils are facing as a result of the current crisis. It is in addition to the £1.6 billion of additional funding announced for councils in March.