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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make a comparative estimate of the cost to the public purse of holding a general election on (a) the same date as the local elections and (b) another date.

The cost of holding the next general election will be published in the relevant Charges Order in advance of the election to give Returning Officers certainty over the funding available to them for the conduct of the election.

In the instance that a Parliamentary election is held alongside another election, the Charges Order will include schedules detailing the funding allocations for both a combined poll and a fully standalone election.