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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment the Government has made of the impact of ending arrangements for local authorities to meet remotely or in hybrid format, as permitted under the powers granted by section 78 of the Coronavirus Act 2020, on democratic engagement by (a) councillors and (b) members of the public who are (i) disabled, (ii) clinically extremely vulnerable to covid-19 and (iii) carers for people who are disabled and clinically extremely vulnerable to covid-19; if he will make it his policy to permit local authorities to continue to meet remotely or in hybrid format on accessibility and equality grounds; and if he will make a statement.

The Government launched a call for evidence last year to gather views and inform a longer-term decision about whether to make express provision for councils to meet remotely and enable councillors to attend meetings remotely, if necessary, on a permanent basis. The Department has considered the responses to the consultation and we will respond shortly.