HC Deb 20 October 1998 vol 317 cc1066-7
8. Mr. Bob Blizzard (Waveney)

What plans he has to encourage sub-regional structures within regional development agencies. [54332]

The Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning (Mr. Richard Caborn)

In our guidance to regional development agencies on their regional strategies, we will encourage them to address the needs of the whole of their regions, but we will not prescribe what sub-regional structures they should adopt. We are publishing a draft of the guidance today; copies are in the Library.

Mr. Blizzard

Is my hon. Friend aware of the eastern region of the Norfolk and Waveney enterprise partnership and its economic development strategic forum, which is called "Shaping the Future"? As it is a well-established body already well supported by industry, does he agree that it is ideally placed to work with the RDA for the eastern region in addressing the problems of the north and east of the region, where unemployment is highest?

Mr. Caborn

My hon. Friend knows that, when I visited his area, I met some people from that partnership, which was impressive. Although I have not seen a document, I am sure that "Shaping the Future" reflects the partnership that I encountered. I hope that the RDAs will look seriously at sub-regional partnerships. We want to build on them. We do not want to reinvent the wheel, but to develop the best in the regions to ensure that the bottom-up process starts to address the regions' real problems.

Mr. Owen Paterson (North Shropshire)

Is the Minister aware that, in rural areas such as Shropshire, there is real alarm that RDAs will be dominated by urban interests? Can he assure the House that, in constructing these new institutions, the Government will give a strong voice to rural areas so that they will not be swamped by the urban majority?

Mr. Caborn

We gave that, assurance on many occasions during the passage of the Regional Development Agencies Bill. We have ensured that every RDA board will have one person with responsibility for rural areas. As my right hon. Friend said, we will address rural areas as we are addressing urban areas in a White Paper. An announcement will be made on that in the near future.

Ms Margaret Moran (Luton, South)

Will my hon. Friend ensure that sub-regional arrangements within the regional development agencies will reflect the fact that some areas such as Luton have interests that cross RDA boundaries? For example, although we are in the eastern region, we share a great deal with London and the south-east. Will he ensure that sub-regional arrangements reflect those interests?

Mr. Caborn

My hon. Friend has raised an important question. I want positively to encourage that relationship between the regions. In a few weeks, my hon. Friend the Minister for London and Construction and I will meet the Thames Gateway partnership to make sure that it continues in the positive work that it has done. That partnership crosses three RDAs. We shall be positively encouraging such co-operation. Administrative boundaries, not Chinese walls, surround the RDAs.