§ 3. Mr. Ian Pearson (Dudley, South)What steps the Government are taking to promote economic development in the west midlands through regional development agencies. [107308]
§ The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Mr. John Prescott)Advantage West Midlands has produced a well-balanced regional strategy for economic development in the region. We await detailed action plans and look forward to working with the organisation as we begin to implement the strategy.
§ Mr. PearsonI pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for his long-standing commitment to the regions. All the signs suggest that Advantage West Midlands will make a big impact. Does he agree that one cannot download a fridge or a hi-fi, and that we therefore need to ensure that goods ordered through dotcom companies are manufactured in areas such as the west midlands? Does he agree that we 103 need the world-class infrastructure—road and rail links—that would allow those goods to be delivered quickly to the market? Will he ask his Department to examine conditions in the west midlands, where the transport infrastructure is clearly the worst around any major conurbation in Europe?
§ Mr. PrescottI agree with a great deal of what my hon. Friend said. In particular, I believe that regional development agencies play an important part in developing prosperity in the regions. Such agencies were successful in Scotland and Wales, and we cannot see why the English regions should be denied them. They will play an important part in the transport strategies being developed with regional planning bodies and assemblies. I accept that transport could improve a lot in Birmingham, and we are giving that point considerable attention and taking advice from people in the regions.
I congratulate the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Mr. Norman) on his appointment. He is my third shadow in less than three years, and I hope that he stays in post a little longer than his predecessors did, although his first appearance suggests that that might not be so. We shall wait and see. The job's previous occupant came out with a flurry of punches, but did not last long.
May I ask the hon. Gentleman to confirm the statement that I read in the—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. Question Time is for the Opposition.
§ Mr. PrescottIt is Question Time, Madam Speaker, but my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, South (Mr. Pearson) asked about regional development agencies, and the Conservatives, having previously stated that they would abolish RDAs, have said today that they intend to keep them. Perhaps the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells could let the House know what the Tory position is.
§ Mr. Peter Luff (Mid-Worcestershire)The Deputy Prime Minister will know that I am no fan of regionalism. May I ask him carefully to consider the strategy produced by Advantage West Midlands? It is written in incomprehensible English, and is so bad that the Plain English Campaign criticised the agency for falsely claiming that it had the campaign's blessing. It is also a facile document that contains no substance. He should consider what that says about the quality of the agencies that he has, in my view mistakenly, put in place.
§ Mr. PrescottI cannot agree with the hon. Gentleman. Wide consultations were held with people in the regions, including Tory councillors and the local authorities, all of whom played a major part in the development of the strategy. It has now been refined by the Government to determine priorities. Perhaps he will tell the House whether he still believes that the RDAs should continue to play a part in the regions.