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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the English Devolution White Paper on the delivery of public services in Surrey.

The White Paper we published before Christmas sets an ambitious new framework for English devolution, moving power out of Westminster and back to those who know their areas best. To deliver change, we need strong local leadership and empowered institutions. This is what devolution is all about.

A unitary council for Surrey residents will bring lower and upper tier services together, creating opportunities for service transformation which will support improvements in delivery. Ultimately, our goal is mayoral devolution that will prioritise the delivery of high quality, sustainable public services to citizens and communities, above all other issues.

Mayors will be equipped with a range of new powers across planning, infrastructure, transport, skills, business and energy, alongside strong and effective relationships with councils and other partners, to deliver the missions we have set out to transform the country.