To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and local government what plans her Department has to review the electoral process for local government in England. (111688)

We are proposing certain changes to the electoral processes for local government in England in our Local Government White Paper ‘Strong and Prosperous Communities’, and in the Local Government and Involvement in Public Health Bill currently before Parliament. These include simplifying arrangements by devolving power to local authorities to opt for all-out elections—every four years—and single-member wards.

In addition, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, in its 11^th report ‘Review of The Electoral Commission’, makes recommendations to reform the Electoral Commission, including recommendations about the processes for setting local electoral boundaries. The Government have welcomed the Committee’s report and are carefully considering its recommendations.