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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to consult the public on formal new names for new unitary councils.

A statutory consultation has already been undertaken, or is currently underway, on the proposals for new unitary councils, many of which included suggested names.

There are no plans to further consult the public on formal new names for new councils.

Where proposals did not include names for the new councils, or where different views have been expressed, then the Secretary of State may seek further representations from the councils and other interested parties before reaching a decision on what the formal new names of the councils should be.