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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy towards the creation of large unitary authorities in English counties where there is significant opposition to that approach.

The Government has made clear that it will carefully consider any proposal made by one or more councils in an area for reorganising that area's local government, and reach a judgement in the round as to whether the proposal, if implemented, is likely to improve the area's local government, commands a good deal of local support in the area, and whether the area itself is a credible geography for the proposed new structures; that judgement will inform the decision as to whether or not to implement the proposal.