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

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to paragraph 4.41 of the Spending Review (CP 1337), which new mayoral strategic authorities they are supporting to enable them to access the benefits of strong local leadership.

At the Spending Review, this government reconfirmed its commitment to the Devolution Priority Programme. The six areas on the DPP are Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Sussex and Brighton, and Norfolk and Suffolk. Following recent consultations in these areas, Government is now carefully considering the evidence collected in order to decide whether statutory tests have been met.