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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to establish a team within his Department dedicated to facilitating combined authority devolution negotiations; and if he will make a statement.

Devolution is one of the Government’s top priorities and will therefore be prioritised within departmental resourcing. To meet this commitment, the Government will prioritise the resources necessary to facilitate negotiations with areas and to deliver on any statutory elements of deals, such as the establishment of combined authorities. The deployment of resources will need to be flexible to accommodate the nature and number of negotiations happening at any one time, which will vary as will the total cost of the negotiation process.

The Government is committed to devolving far-reaching powers within England as part of a power shift away from central government, enabling places to drive their own economic growth and take decisions over public services.

In devolving powers the Government is committed to a 'bottom up' approach and is asking local areas to come forward with proposals on the form of devolution that would work best for them. This approach builds on the devolution deal the government struck with Greater Manchester in the last Parliament that will see the devolution of significant powers and budgets and the establishment of a directly elected mayor.