To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on Local Government Reorganisation in Kent since December 2024.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on Local Government Reorganisation in Kent since December 2024.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department’s latest estimate is of the completion date of the Sea Link transmission reinforcement project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department’s latest estimate is of the completion date of the Sea Link transmission reinforcement project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 28 July 2026 to question 17814, whether her Department has (a) met with Kent County Council and (b) concluded whether their Communities of Schools model complies with her Department's guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 28 July 2026 to question 17814, whether her Department has (a) met with Kent County Council and (b) concluded whether their Communities of Schools model complies with her Department's guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial arrangements and contractual agreements exist with the owners of Lydden Hill Race Circuit and the former Folkestone Racecourse concerning the management of possible traffic congestion in Kent resulting from the EU Entry Exit System.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial arrangements and contractual agreements exist with the owners of Lydden Hill Race Circuit and the former Folkestone Racecourse concerning the management of possible traffic congestion in Kent resulting from the EU Entry Exit System.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the cost of the temporary acquisition of both Lydden Hill Race Circuit and the former Folkestone Racecourse in anticipation of EU Entry Exit System traffic congestion in Kent during summer 2026.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the cost of the temporary acquisition of both Lydden Hill Race Circuit and the former Folkestone Racecourse in anticipation of EU Entry Exit System traffic congestion in Kent during summer 2026.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a summary and analysis of the consultation on Local Government Reorganisation in Kent and Medway held between February 2026 and March 2026.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a summary and analysis of the consultation on Local Government Reorganisation in Kent and Medway held between February 2026 and March 2026.

Lords statement on local government reorganisation.

Lords statement on local government reorganisation.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating this quite significant Statement. The Government have suddenly paused the reorganisation plans they started for local government. This is astounding. Proposals to merge councils in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, and Essex have been withdrawn. The 14 areas which formed the third tranche of...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating this quite significant Statement. The Government have suddenly paused the reorganisation plans they started for local government. This is astounding. Proposals to merge councils in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire, and Essex have been withdrawn. The 14 areas which formed the third tranche of...

My Lords, I too thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. Across England, there will be thousands of councillors and council officers who have worked for months, sometimes years, to deliver an effective solution to the Government’s top-down reorganisation diktat. They will have devoted scarce resources in both funding and...

My Lords, I too thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. Across England, there will be thousands of councillors and council officers who have worked for months, sometimes years, to deliver an effective solution to the Government’s top-down reorganisation diktat. They will have devoted scarce resources in both funding and...

My Lords—

My Lords—

Minister!

Minister!

I have to deal with the Front Benchers first, although I thank the noble Lord, Lord Fuller, for his enthusiasm. I am very grateful to both noble Baronesses for their comments, and I understand the frustration that has been expressed.

The noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, asked about updated legal advice, government...

I have to deal with the Front Benchers first, although I thank the noble Lord, Lord Fuller, for his enthusiasm. I am very grateful to both noble Baronesses for their comments, and I understand the frustration that has been expressed.

The noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, asked about updated legal advice, government...

My Lords, first, the un-cancellation of local government elections and now the embarrassment of this one, from a hapless MHCLG. Back in April, when your Lordships debated local government reorganisation, I characterised the proposals for Norfolk as a cut-and-shut job that would shame Arthur Daley. It would create England’s poorest...

My Lords, first, the un-cancellation of local government elections and now the embarrassment of this one, from a hapless MHCLG. Back in April, when your Lordships debated local government reorganisation, I characterised the proposals for Norfolk as a cut-and-shut job that would shame Arthur Daley. It would create England’s poorest...

The strength of the representations of the noble Lord, Lord Fuller, on this matter shows the differing opinions that we have seen throughout this process. There are strongly held, different views on all sides, and it is important that we continue to take those into account as we go through...

The strength of the representations of the noble Lord, Lord Fuller, on this matter shows the differing opinions that we have seen throughout this process. There are strongly held, different views on all sides, and it is important that we continue to take those into account as we go through...

My Lords, I start by acknowledging the hard work that my noble friend the Minister has been putting into this over the last couple of years, and the work of those councillors who have been arguing for these changes in their boroughs and counties over the last few months. I...

My Lords, I start by acknowledging the hard work that my noble friend the Minister has been putting into this over the last couple of years, and the work of those councillors who have been arguing for these changes in their boroughs and counties over the last few months. I...

I thank my noble friend for his support for the overall programme. We are asking councils to pause work on progressing local government reorganisation. It will be a short pause. This means that councils should cease work on implementing previous decisions, but there are shared projects that will be useful...

I thank my noble friend for his support for the overall programme. We are asking councils to pause work on progressing local government reorganisation. It will be a short pause. This means that councils should cease work on implementing previous decisions, but there are shared projects that will be useful...

My Lords, I draw the House’s attention to my registered interests as chair of the Cambridgeshire Development Forum. The House understands that the Government will not publish their legal advice, but are these decisions the result of specific legal advice about the nature of the decisions that were made or...

My Lords, I draw the House’s attention to my registered interests as chair of the Cambridgeshire Development Forum. The House understands that the Government will not publish their legal advice, but are these decisions the result of specific legal advice about the nature of the decisions that were made or...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Lansley. The criteria will be looked at as part of this review process. It is important that we take account of the legal advice—we are not going to publish it—and look at the impact on the future programme; it would be unwise not to...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Lansley. The criteria will be looked at as part of this review process. It is important that we take account of the legal advice—we are not going to publish it—and look at the impact on the future programme; it would be unwise not to...

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My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords—