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Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Answer

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made towards providing for effective devolved decision-making within a framework of national targets and policies. [191265] Mr. Raynsford: The Government's approach to devolving decision-making was set out in the Devolved Decision Making Review, issued alongside Budget 2004. At regional level the White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" set out proposals for directly elected regional assemblies in those regions that wish to have them. On 4 November 2004, regional and local referendums will take place to decide whether an elected assembly is established in the North East. The Government is working with the RDAs to develop a new framework for setting their objectives. This will simplify and strengthen the current arrangements and make sure performance is measured against real regional and national priorities. In the Spending Review 2004 the Government announced: Increased Regional Development Agency (RDA) funding from £1.85 billion in 2004-05 to £2.3 billion by 2007-08. Since 2002, each RDA's funding has been in a single pot, giving them substantial flexibility to use their resources to respond to regional priorities; RDAs will take on responsibility for the delivery of Business Link services, R and D grants and promoting enterprise in disadvantaged areas from April 2005; In those regions where the RDA and Learning and Skills Council (LSC) want it, the Government will consider favourably a `dual key' approach to the management of adult skills budgets operated by the RDA Chief Executive and the Regional LSC Director; RDAs will have an enhanced role in supporting business- university collaboration, as part of the response to the Lambert Review; The Government is examining new ways to integrate regional economic strategies with regional transport and spatial development strategies, within a framework of indicative long term funding guidelines. The first guideline budgets for the English regions will be published alongside the Chancellor's 2005 Budget statement. At local level, the Government published `The future of local government: Developing a 10 year vision', which sets out how the Government is taking the Devolving Decision Making review forward in the context of a longer term strategy for local government. As part of this work, the Government recently announced proposals to pilot Local Area Agreements (LAAs) in 21 local authorities. LAAs are intended to simplify funding streams, join up public services and give councils and other local delivery partners more flexibility. They will build on the package of freedoms and flexibilities already given to local authorities.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c567W; 191265

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Devolution Finance Local government Regional development agencies Regional government

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk