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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with local authorities on the development of government policy for local recovery following the covid-19 outbreak.

This Department has ensured that there has been regular and significant contact between Ministers, regional mayors and council leaders throughout this crisis to respond to the Covid-19 emergency.

This includes calls between the Communities Secretary and Ministers, and regional mayors, as well as regular teleconferences hosted by the Communities Secretary for all local government leaders and chief executives, with other Ministers present to answer questions. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is also discussing priorities and support measures with councils in each of the nine English regions, alongside a Ministerial-led Covid19 local delivery board with councillors. Further to this, a Ministerial-led Economic Recovery Working Group has been established, made up of local government leaders from across England including several Metro Mayors to help inform Government’s plans for economic recovery.