Call for Evidence

The Committee is seeking evidence on the following points:

• What is the Office for Local Government (Oflog)’s intended purpose and is it on-track to achieve it?  
• What problem is Oflog seeking to resolve? What, for example, can Oflog contribute to data and local government that is not already being done by bodies such as the LGA?  
• What degree of independence does Oflog have from DLUHC and how will this impact its work?  
• Should the Government ensure that Oflog supports the Government’s set aims of levelling up and if so, how?  
• How should Oflog engage with local authorities and other stakeholders?  
• How can the Government ensure Oflog is not an additional resource pressure for local authorities?   
• Will Oflog make it easier to identify financial problems further in advance?  
• The Government has suggested there will be an annual report for Oflog. How should this data be verified and by who?   
• What data should Oflog collect and why?  
• How can the Government ensure Oflog collects data as efficiently as possible?  
• How should Oflog select the data sources that it uses to develop outcome measures?  
• Which areas of Oflog’s focus currently lack adequate published indicators?  
• Could Oflog support cross-departmental approaches to policy solutions and initiatives?  
• How can the Government explore how Oflog might support the NHS and other anchor institutions locally?  
• How will Oflog support central Government’s understanding of local areas and the challenges communities face? 

Submissions should not be longer than 3000 words where possible.

We want our inquiries to be informed by a diverse range of voices. Our committee team are happy to help if you require a reasonable adjustment, such as an extension to the deadline, or submitting evidence in an alternative format: please get in touch at luhccom@parliament.uk.

Please note: The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee examines policy issues relating to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and its associated bodies. In line with the general practice of select committees the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee is not able to take up individual cases. If you would like political support or advice you may wish to contact your local Member of Parliament.

Written evidence must address the terms of reference as set out above, but please note that submissions do not have to address every point. Guidance on giving evidence to a select committee of the House of Commons is available here.

The Committee will decide whether to accept each submission. If your submission is accepted by the Committee, it will usually be published online. It will then be available permanently for anyone to view. It can’t be changed or removed. If you have included your name or any personal information in your submission, that will normally be published too. Please consider how much personal information you want or need to share. If you include personal information about other people in your submission, the Committee may decide not to publish it. Your contact details will never be published.

Decisions about publishing evidence anonymously, or about accepting but not publishing evidence, are made by the Committee. If you would like to ask the Committee to accept your submission anonymously or confidentially, please indicate this when submitting evidence, and tell us why. This lets the Committee know what you would like but the final decision will be taken by the Committee. Anonymous submissions are typically not published by the Committee.

The Committee has discretion over which submissions it accepts as evidence, and which of those it then publishes on its website. We may anonymise or redact some of your submission if it is published. The Committee may decide to accept evidence on a confidential basis. Confidential submissions remain available to the Committee but are not published or referred to in public. All written evidence will be considered by the Committee, whether or not it is published.