Whilst to date since 2010 no local authority areas have achieved unitary status, two new unitary councils will be established in Dorset on 1 April 2019, we have announced that subject to Parliamentary approval a new unitary council for Buckinghamshire will be established on 1 April 2020, and we are currently consulting on a proposal made by seven councils in Northamptonshire to establish two new unitary councils covering that county on 1 April 2020. In addition to these areas since 2010 certain councils in Oxfordshire have made a proposal for unitary status for that county which is not being pursued.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-18T16:26:07.227Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unitary Councils"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which local authority areas have (a) achieved and (b) sought unitary status in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "202033"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1024744", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1024744/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government has made no recent assessment of the benefits secured by local authority areas that have moved to unitary status, but is aware of certain independent reports which have made such assessments. These include a report commissioned by the County Councils Network and authored by Phil Swann in 2016 called \u201cLearning the Lessons from Local Government Reorganisation - An Independent Study\u201c, which found that larger unitary councils are most likely to be able to generate economies of scale, be resilient, and be able to take strategic decisions in an integrated way with the broader public sector.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-18T16:25:00.163Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unitary Councils"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the benefits secured by local authority areas that have moved to unitary status.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"} ], "uin" : "202034"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010291", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010291/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Under the Mental Health Act 1983, and as set out in the Code of Practice , local authorities have a duty to ensure timely access to appropriately trained independent mental health advocates and ensure that patients are informed of the support that an advocate can provide. I have not assessed the effectiveness with which local authorities provide independent advocacy services; policy responsibility for the Mental Health Act 1983 and for the provision of independent mental health advocates lies with the Department of Health and Social Care.<\/em><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Independent Mental Health Advocates "}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness with which local authorities undertake their duty to provide independent advocacy services to people subject to the Mental Health Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"}
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, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stroud"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"}
], "uin" : "192714"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/837413", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/837413/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Local Government Association is a member of the \u2018Parks Action Group\u2019 and works closely with officials in my Department to discuss activity to safeguard and enhance parks and green spaces for future generations. As the Minister with responsibility for parks and green spaces, I intend to meet with the \u2018Parks Action Group\u2019 early this year.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has recently met with the Local Government Association to discuss (a) the maintenance of public parks and (b) new funding arrangements to preserve the network of parks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr David Drew"}
], "uin" : "126532"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/835941", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/835941/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Local Government Association is a member of the \u2018Parks Action Group\u2019 and works closely with officials in my Department to discuss activity to safeguard and enhance parks and green spaces for future generations. As the Minister with responsibility for parks and green spaces, I intend to meet with the \u2018Parks Action Group\u2019 early this year.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Parks"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to meet with the Local Government Association to discuss the preservation of public parks.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/252", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr David Drew"}
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