§ 3. Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater)If he will make a statement on regional government in the southwest. [100651]
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister asked for responses by 3 March from the south-west and the other English regions outside London on the level of interest in holding a referendum for an elected regional assembly. We are now evaluating the responses.
§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerThe south-west area multi-modal study—the SWARMMS report—is now slopping around in the south-west, but it is doing nothing for my constituency or for that of my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Flook). An unelected, unaccountable regional assembly is administering it. When will the Deputy Prime Minister take the report back under control, so that it will bring benefits to the south-west?
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterI think that the regional assemblies have been quite successful.[Laughter.] I take as one indication of that the active participation of Tory councillors on the assemblies. In fact, more than 160 Tory councillors sit on the boards. They think that they are doing a good job, and we will retain them. No doubt the referendum will provide people with a good opportunity to state whether they want to go further and have a regional referendum. The indications are that well over 60 per cent. of people in the south-west want to have a referendum.
§ Jim Knight (South Dorset)I am keen to make the regional assembly for the south-west accountable through the introduction of an elected regional assembly, but there is some concern in the region, which is fuelled by the Conservative party, that that may spell the end of the shire counties. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government are neutral about whether county councils could form the basis of unitary authorities following the introduction of regional government?
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterWe have made it clear that we do not want three layers of administration. If people in a region choose to have a referendum, they will decide in that referendum whether they want regional government. Before they make that decision, they will receive an indication on what type of local government structure will apply. The local government body will consider the matter and recommend whether and how the unitary authority system will operate alongside regional government. If people vote for that, clearly the county council structure, as we know it, will change.
§ Mr. Hugo Swire (East Devon)In the event of the eminently sensible people of the south-west wishing to have nothing to do with an elected regional assembly, will the Deputy Prime Minister enact a framework by which we can get rid of the unelected regional assembly and return the money that it spends to the taxpayers of the south-west?[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. There is too much conversation in the Chamber, which is unfair.
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterIf the people of a region choose to have a referendum and then reject the idea of regional government, it is clear that the concept will not 803 apply. It will be a decision for people in the region. On the question of whether the assembly that is in place at present would remain, it is my judgment that it should, along with the regional development agency. I note that the hon. Gentleman did not ask for the abolition of the regional development agency.