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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is holding discussions with local authorities in Nottinghamshire on the potential benefits of reform to local government in that county.

My Department and I regularly have discussions with local authorities, including those in Nottinghamshire, on a wide range of issues including local government reorganisation. We are always ready to discuss with councils proposals for local government reorganisation that can improve services, increase efficiency, give rise to savings, result in stronger local accountability and leadership, and genuinely empower towns, parishes, and communities. We intend to bring forward further plans on this in our Devolution White Paper this Autumn.