asked Her Majesty's Government:

With which local authorities in England they have held discussions about setting up an elected executive model of governance (a) before the introduction of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill in the House of Commons; and (b) since the introduction of the Bill. [HL4619]

Both during the preparation of the local government White Paper and since the introduction of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, we have discussed governance arrangements, including on occasion elected executives, with a number of local authorities. They included Stockton-on-Tees, which raised the issue with the Government following a resolution of that council in December 2005 that it should do so.