Regional Assemblies (Hansard, 9 December 2002)

§ Mr. Pickles
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria the Government will use to determine public support for regional assemblies; [83424]

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers elected regional assemblies will have to make changes to the delivery of public services. [85392]

§ Mr. Leslie
Elected regional assemblies will be responsible for strategic priorities rather than for direct service delivery. But they will add value to service delivery by bringing coherence to, and improving the delivery of, the large number of strategies and partnerships that have developed at the regional level. Assemblies will set the framework for their region and co-ordinate activity on issues such as economic development, planning, housing and transport. An assembly's block grant will allow it to allocate spending according to what it considers as priorities for that region.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether alternatives to elected regional assemblies will be offered as part of the consultation; and if he will make a statement. [85394]

§ Mr. Leslie
The Government are currently taking soundings to test the level of interest in each region in holding a referendum on establishing an elected assembly.
Chapter 2 of the White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" sets out the Government's proposals for strengthening all regions; these arrangements will therefore continue to apply in those regions which do not choose to establish elected assemblies.

§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what economic measures elected regional assemblies will be empowered to take. [85395]

§ Mr. Leslie
Chapter 4 of the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice" makes clear that improving the economic performance of its region will be at the heart of an elected regional assembly's objectives. This is reflected in the range of powers and functions for which elected assemblies will be responsible. In particular, they will be responsible for the Regional Development Agency in their region. They will also have a range of other responsibilities for regional economic development relating to business support, training and skills, and European programmes.
Assemblies will be able to spend their block grant as they judge best, subject to agreeing a small number of targets covering their key responsibilities. Some additional funds will be available if an assembly meets or exceeds these targets. Elected assemblies will also be able to raise additional funds from a precept on the council tax and will have powers to borrow money, subject to certain limits.
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§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for(a) a question in the referendum on regional assemblies and (b) further referendums, on the constitution of regional assemblies. [85396]

§ Mr. Leslie
Clause 2 of the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill sets out the question to be asked in a referendum on regional assemblies. The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to comment on the intelligibility of any referendum question, and on 25 November the commission announced that the question set out in the Bill meets its guidelines. The commission made some small but constructive suggestions for the wording of the preamble, which the Government will consider carefully and respond to in due course.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends that regions that do not have a referendum on establishing an elected assembly in the first instance should have another opportunity at a later date. In regions where a referendum results in a "no" vote, the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill provides that a further referendum can be held after a period of at least five years has passed starting from the day on which the referendum was held.