Regional Co-ordination Unit

HC Deb 11 July 2001 vol 371 cc576-7W

Mr. Waterson

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Regional Co-ordination Unit. [1433]

The Deputy Prime Minister

The Regional Co-ordination Unit's Action Plan published in October 2000 identified four key areas where the Government needed to take a new approach to developing and implementing regional policy: better co-ordination of area-based initiatives; involvement of Government offices more directly in policy-making; making the Government offices the key representatives of Government in the regions; and establishing the Regional Co-ordination Unit as the unified head office for the Government offices.

The Regional Co-ordination Unit is taking forward action in these four areas in liaison with the Government offices and Government Departments.