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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what powers (a) shadow unitary authorities and (b) new unitary authorities have to change their formal new name without recourse to the Secretary of State.

The formal names of new unitary councils are set out in the secondary legislation that establishes them. Once the new councils are vested, they have the same powers as other local authorities and can change their name under Section 74 of the Local Government Act 1972.