§ 1. Mr. Ian BruceIf he will make a statement on the closure of the South Dorset economic partnership and the implications of this for the Government's regional regeneration policies. [30620]
§ The Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning (Mr. Richard Caborn)The South Dorset economic partnership is a local delivery organisation. How it operates and decisions about its future are matters for the local partners.
§ Mr. BruceI am sad that the Minister has not thought to acquaint himself with exactly what is happening at the delivery points of Government policy. The Government have expressed their intention to regenerate jobs, particularly where defence jobs are being lost. Surely the South Dorset economic partnership demonstrates that Government policy is not working and that, because the regional development agencies are not providing funds, and the local authorities are not being given sufficient resources to assist, the excellent delivery of the South Dorset economic partnership is failing. Will the Minister please take some action and find out what is happening on the ground floor? By the time that the regional development agency is up and running, there will be no means left to deliver his policies.
§ Mr. CabornWe are keeping close contact with Dorset, where I understand that the three local authorities have withdrawn funding from the scheme. They plan to create a new organisation with a wider remit.