§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to make Regional Development Agencies democratically accountable to the community in which they operate. [167289]
§ Mr. RaynsfordI have been asked to reply.
The Government's policy on regional governance, including the role of Regional Development Agencies, was set out in the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice" published in May 2002 (cm 5511).
In those regions which vote to establish an elected regional assembly, the Regional Development Agency will become a functional body of the elected assembly and so, directly accountable to it.
In those regions which do not have an elected assembly, the existing regional chambers, made up of local authority representatives and social and economic partners, will continue to scrutinise the work of the Regional Development Agency.