---

Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill [HL]

My Lords, the amendment aims to help drive forward positive progress on devolution within England. It says that the Secretary of State should

“lay before each House of Parliament each year a report about devolution”.

It suggests that:

“The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for an Independent Commission or Advisory Board”,

to undertake a review and perform an advisory role in assessing at a national level and across Whitehall what has been achieved.

Broadly speaking, the amendment derives from the conclusions of the City Growth Commission, which established five progress tests on devolution in England—the first on funding, the second on Civil Service and parliamentary reform, the third on partnerships, the fourth on speed and direction of travel and the fifth on cities’ capacity. The aim of our amendment is to help the process and the aims that the City Growth Commission put in place. I beg to move.