§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will hold public meetings in Herefordshire to discuss proposals for a West Midlands Regional Assembly. [184018]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe Office of the Deputy Prime Ministers soundings about the interest in holding a referendum on whether to establish an elected regional assembly showed that the level of interest in the West Midlands is low. We therefore have no proposals to hold a referendum in the West Midlands during this Parliament and see no merit in holding public meetings in Herefordshire.