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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in delivering a combined authority in South Yorkshire and surrounding areas.

The Sheffield City Region Combined Authority was established on 1st April 2014. On 1st July 2016, the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority published a scheme, in accordance with the legislation, setting out proposals, including for the expansion of the city region to include Chesterfield and Bassetlaw District Councils. The City Region undertook a consultation on these proposals ending on 12 August 2016, as statute requires, and subsequently submitted a summary of the consultation responses to the Secretary of State. The next step in the statutory process is for the Secretary of State to consider whether or not, subject to Parliament's approval and the consent of the councils concerned, to implement the proposals.