Written questions, answers and statements

Local Government: Remote Meetings

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Question for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

UIN 144677, tabled on 27 January 2021

Question

Alex Cunningham
Labour
Stockton North
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the provisions of the Local Authorities (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Meetings) (England) Regulations 2020 to allow local authorities to conduct meetings remotely beyond May 2021.

Answer

Luke Hall
Conservative
Thornbury and Yate
Commons

Answered on

1 February 2021

To extend the facility for councils to continue to meet remotely, or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation.

There is no option to extend the current regulations under the Coronavirus Act 2020 as section 78 (2) contains the sunset date of 7 May 2021.

There is considerable pressure on the Government’s legislative programme, but the Government is carefully considering next steps in this area.

Answered by

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Named day
Named day questions only occur in the House of Commons. The MP tabling the question specifies the date on which they should receive an answer. MPs may not table more than five named day questions on a single day.