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Written Question
Local Government: Somerset
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether people resident abroad are eligible to respond to the Somerset Unitarisation consultation.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Department welcomes the views of all those interested in the proposals, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary sector. The process is not a poll or referendum, and hence there are no limitations on who is able to respond, nor is there a process of validating the details of respondents.

Those responding to the consultation are asked to declare whether they are responding as a resident (and if so whether they are resident in the area concerned or elsewhere including overseas), or whether they are responding on behalf of an organisation.

The Department’s online platform, Citizen Space, which is used widely across the public sector for consultation activities, requires a response to this question, and asks the name of any organisation on whose behalf a response is being made and the email address of the respondent; no further details about a respondent’s personal or family’s interests such as employment status are requested.


Written Question
Local Government: Somerset
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what checks, beyond providing a valid email address, his Department is using to ensure that respondents to the Somerset Unitarisation consultation are genuine residents of Somerset.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Department welcomes the views of all those interested in the proposals, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary sector. The process is not a poll or referendum, and hence there are no limitations on who is able to respond, nor is there a process of validating the details of respondents.

Those responding to the consultation are asked to declare whether they are responding as a resident (and if so whether they are resident in the area concerned or elsewhere including overseas), or whether they are responding on behalf of an organisation.

The Department’s online platform, Citizen Space, which is used widely across the public sector for consultation activities, requires a response to this question, and asks the name of any organisation on whose behalf a response is being made and the email address of the respondent; no further details about a respondent’s personal or family’s interests such as employment status are requested.


Written Question
Local Government: Somerset
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the proportion of eligible people that are required to respond to the Somerset Unitarisation consultation for that consultation to be effective.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

We will publish the Government’s response to the consultation as soon as practicable following the consultation. The Government welcomes the views of all those interested in the proposals for local government reorganisation in Somerset, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary sector.

The Secretary of State will have regard to all the representations received from the consultation, along with all other relevant representations and information available to him when deciding subject to Parliamentary approval which, if any, of the proposals are to be implemented, with or without modification.


Written Question
Local Government: Somerset
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to publish the number of respondents in favour or against each proposal within the Somerset Unitarisation consultation.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

We will publish the Government’s response to the consultation as soon as practicable following the consultation. The Government welcomes the views of all those interested in the proposals for local government reorganisation in Somerset, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary sector.

The Secretary of State will have regard to all the representations received from the consultation, along with all other relevant representations and information available to him when deciding subject to Parliamentary approval which, if any, of the proposals are to be implemented, with or without modification.


Written Question
Local Government: Somerset
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to publish the total number of respondents to the Somerset Unitarisation consultation.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

We will publish the Government’s response to the consultation as soon as practicable following the consultation. The Government welcomes the views of all those interested in the proposals for local government reorganisation in Somerset, including local residents, town and parish councils, businesses and the voluntary sector.

The Secretary of State will have regard to all the representations received from the consultation, along with all other relevant representations and information available to him when deciding subject to Parliamentary approval which, if any, of the proposals are to be implemented, with or without modification.


Written Question
Local Government: Somerset
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative - Bridgwater and West Somerset)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the budget is for the ongoing Somerset Unitarisation consultation.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

There is no specific budget for the consultation, the resources for which are provided by the Department’s administration budget.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 23 Feb 2021
Coronavirus: Supporting Businesses and Individuals

Speech Link

View all Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con - Bridgwater and West Somerset) contributions to the debate on: Coronavirus: Supporting Businesses and Individuals

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 10 Feb 2021
Local Government Finance (England)

Speech Link

View all Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con - Bridgwater and West Somerset) contributions to the debate on: Local Government Finance (England)

Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 04 Feb 2021
Towns Fund

Speech Link

View all Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con - Bridgwater and West Somerset) contributions to the debate on: Towns Fund

Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Jan 2021
Council Tax: Government’s Proposed Increase

Speech Link

View all Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con - Bridgwater and West Somerset) contributions to the debate on: Council Tax: Government’s Proposed Increase