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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason Surrey was not included in the review of local government reorganisation following updated legal advice; and whether that advice has been considered in relation to the Surrey Structural Changes Order.

The review of local government reorganisation does not concern Surrey. The decision concerning Surrey was taken in accordance with the statutory process. The legal powers enabling local government reorganisation, together with the Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026 that was approved by Parliament, remain in force and unaffected.

East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council will assume the full range of local authority functions on 1 April 2027. Both the proposals for local government reorganisation in Surrey are publicly available and it is a longstanding principle that the Government does not publish or comment on legal advice.