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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2025 to Question 72865 on Local Government: Hampshire and Isle of Wight, whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of that proposed devolution area on (a) transport services and (b) disparities between urban and rural areas.

A Mayoral Strategic Authority over Hampshire and the Solent will play a key leading role on transport planning and delivery for the area, becoming the Local Transport Authority, with responsibility for producing a Local Transport Plan setting out their local transport policies and how these will be delivered.

We would also expect the Mayoral Strategic Authority to deliver for all communities and address disparities, this could include through designating a member of the leadership Cabinet with a Rural portfolio to ensure equality of attention across all areas of the region, as has been done in other Strategic Authorities.