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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations her Department has received from hon. Members on the provision of funding and powers to areas which do not have mayoral strategic authorities since July 2026.

The Cabinet Statement, published at the end of July, set out the Government’s ambition to ensure every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a strategic authority by the end of 2027, with strategic authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028.

We have had representations from, and engaged with, Members of Parliament as well as local leaders for areas without strategic authorities. This enabled us to confirm advanced talks and, at Budget, announce the largest ever extension of English devolution. We continue to work with leaders in other areas to agree a Strategic Authority as quickly as possible.

Where there is not local support for a mayor, we will aim to agree a non-mayoral Foundation Strategic Authority. In preparing the forthcoming Rewiring the State Delivery Plan, the Government is considering what funding and powers are most appropriately extended to Foundation Strategic Authorities and is taking representations from Members of Parliament and local leaders as part of this process.