Question
As the Minister said, LGR and devolution are intrinsically linked, so it came as a bit of a surprise to read on page 66 of the Red Book that Surrey is apparently in advanced talks with the Government over a new strategic mayoralty, because those talks have not involved any of the local MPs and have apparently entailed only a 10-minute phone call with the new unitary authorities for Surrey on Monday evening. In the spirit of consensus and correspondence, can we make sure that before this goes any further, those unitary authorities and the local MPs are fully consulted?
Answer
The hon. Gentleman makes a fair point about consultation. The Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster Central (Sally Jameson), and I have done a lot to engage with local government, and many of our drop-in sessions have been about devolution, so I push back on the idea that we have not done that, but we could always do more. Further talks might be required, but let us not detract from the benefit of this multibillion-pound investment to our communities. As local MPs, surely the reason we come here is to make sure that our areas get their fair share.25% vibes
Verdict: RED (20/100)
The reply only partly answers the question. It acknowledges a fair point about consultation and describes past engagement with local councils, but it never clearly commits to ensuring full consultation before discussions go ahead, using phrases like "further talks might be required" instead. It does not address the part of the question about consulting local MPs on a strategic mayoralty; the only mention of MPs is a general remark about their role. The asker would likely need to submit a follow-up to get a clear answer on both points.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government ensure that the new unitary authorities for Surrey are fully consulted before discussions on a strategic mayoralty for Surrey go any further? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply concedes a "fair point about consultation" and defends past engagement with local government, including devolution drop-in sessions, but it never commits to ensuring full consultation before discussions proceed. Its closing "further talks might be required" and "we could always do more" are noncommittal rather than a clear undertaking or refusal with reasons. |
| Will the Government ensure that the local MPs for Surrey are fully consulted before discussions on a strategic mayoralty for Surrey go any further? | Not Addressed | Generic | The only statement mentioning MPs (seq 8) is a general remark about MPs' role in securing fair shares and says nothing about consulting local MPs on a strategic mayoralty. The engagement described in seq 2–4 concerns local government, not MPs. |