§ Mr. Rosindell:To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local government (a) systems and (b) administrations would be removed if a region votes in favour of setting up a regional assembly. [141720]
§ Mr. Raynsford:Where an elected regional assembly is established, existing two tier local government will be restructured as unitary authorities. Recommendations on options for the unitary structure in a region are a matter for the independent Boundary Committee for England. The Committee might recommend structures based on existing districts, counties or something different. They published their draft recommendations for two tier areas in the three northern regions on 1 December. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.
Voters living in each two tier area will have a choice between at least two options for a unitary local government structure, in a local referendum held at the same time as the referendum on whether to establish an elected assembly.
The new unitary authorities will exercise all the functions currently carried out by the county and district councils in the region.
§ Mr. Rosindell:To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria he is using to decide whether or not to grant referendums to regions about proposals for a regional assembly. [141723]
§ Mr. Raynsford:The background to and explanation of my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's decision to move towards referendums in the three northern regions is laid out in the Government's "Your Region, Your Say" summary of its soundings exercise. This was published on 16 June 2003 and copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not propose to hold a further exercise during this Parliament.
§ Mr. Rosindell:To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what requirements need to be met by a region before that region is deemed suitable to have its own regional assembly. [141724]
§ Mr. Raynsford:Our White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice-made clear that a simple majority yes vote will be needed in a referendum before an elected assembly is established in any region. The Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003 allows my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to call a referendum once: he has considered the level of interest in the region in holding such a referendum; and the Boundary Committee for England have made recommendations about the structure of local government in that region.