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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that decisions relating to local government reorganisation meet relevant (a) public sector equality duties and (b) provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence, including governance and service delivery considerations.

All public bodies, including the Government, are required to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010. This duty applies to the local government reorganisation process.