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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of devolving (a) tax raising powers, (b) business and skills funding, (c) housing and planning, (d) transport, (e) health and (f) policing and criminal justice to the (i) Mayor of London and London Assembly, (ii) Greater Manchester, (iii) Greater Birmingham and (iv) Liverpool City Region; and if he will make a statement.

The six city region mayors elected for the first time in May 2017 are already having a visible impact in their local areas, as well as on the national debate. Directly elected Mayors provide a single point of accountability for residents and are ambassadors for their areas, with significant potential to boost the profile of their city regions, and help attract inward investment.

Through devolution, the government has sought to strengthen local leadership and institutions, and devolve powers and funding away from Whitehall, so that they are exercised at the right spatial geography.