REGIONALISATION

Below is a copy of a recent press release relating to regionalisation. It seems that Labour is now trying to resurrect this issue.

Those who oppose the balkanisation of England should make their views known.


Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Press Notice
Session 2005-06 7 December 2005


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NEW INQUIRY
IS THERE A FUTURE FOR REGIONAL GOVERNMENT?
In the light of the ‘no’ vote in the North East devolution referendum on 4 November 2004, the Committee has decided to examine issues relating to regional government, including:

• the potential for increasing the accountability of decision-making at the regional and sub-regional level, and the need to simplify existing arrangements;

• the potential for devolution of powers from regional to local level;

• the effectiveness of current arrangements for managing services at the various levels, and their inter-relationships;

• the potential for new arrangements, particularly the establishment of city regions;

• the impact which new regional and sub-regional arrangements, such as the city regions, might have upon peripheral towns and cities; and

• the desirability of closer inter-regional co-operation (as in the Northern Way) to tackle economic disparities.

The Committee invites written evidence on the points above and other relevant topics by Monday 23 January 2006. Witnesses who wish their evidence to be treated in confidence should contact the Committee clerk in advance. It should also be noted that decisions about who to call for oral evidence are likely to be taken on the basis of evidence received by this date.[The form which such evidence should take is set out below B please note in particular the restriction on length and that wherever possible it should be submitted by e-mail or on disk].

Oral evidence sessions will be arranged and will be announced in due course.

Contact: Elizabeth Hunt, Joint Committee Clerk 020 7 219 3927/ mailto:%20hunte@parliament.uk

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Written evidence must if possible be submitted in an electronic format, either on disk or preferably by e-mail. It should be in MS Word or Rich Text format. If sent by e-mail it should for this inquiry be sent to mailto:%20odpmcom@parliament.uk. The e-mail must include a contact name, telephone number and postal address. The e-mail should also make clear who the submission is from. If sent by post it should be sent to the Clerk, ODPM Committee, Committee Office, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. Witnesses without access to a computer are respectfully requested to take particular care that submissions are legible.

Submissions should be as brief as possible, and certainly no more than 3,000 words. Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference, and it would be helpful to include a brief executive summary. Those submitting evidence are reminded that evidence should be original work, not previously published or circulated elsewhere. Once submitted no public use should be made of it. Guidance on the submission of evidence can be found at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/odpm/Written_Evidence.cfm

Further details of the Committee, including its current membership, can be found on the Committee's homepage at http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/odpm.cfm Information about the Committee can also be obtained from 020 7219 4972.