Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to (a) bring forward the local government finance settlement to the same date as the Autumn Statement and (b) to increase the local government settlement in line with inflation or above; whether he has had discussions with the (i) the Prime Minister and (ii) Secretary of State for Communities and Levelling Up about the ability of local authority leaders to (A) plan for and (B) provide public services without this information and funding; and if he will make a statement.

The timing of the Local Government Finance Settlement is a matter for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The Government recognises the pressures that local authorities are facing and continues to work with the sector to understand the impacts on service delivery and budgets.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will confirm the approach to funding allocations for 2023-24 in the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.