To ask the Minister of the Environment what correspondence he has had with the Northern Ireland Office regarding the proposed date for elections to the new district councils.

My Department has been working closely with the Northern Ireland Office in relation to arrangements for the next local government election, including the proposal to bring forward the date of the election to 2014. Moving the date of the election will allow for a transitional period in advance of the eleven new councils taking up their full range of powers and responsibilities.

I understand that an Order in Council is to be laid at Westminster in early October which will include provision for the election to take place on 22 May 2014, subject to Parliament’s approval of the legislation.