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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the correspondence by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Government and Building Safety to local authority Chief Executives on local audits in England, dated 18 July 2023, whether he intends to produce guidance for councils on reducing the backlog of local authority audits.

The Government is continuing to engage across the local audit sector, including local authorities. Further details which will be issued in due course.