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Building Britain's Future

Of course, having low crime and having an adequately-resourced police force brings in investment, and this issue is also about the state of the nation. Of course, where police authorities have extra costs, the Home Office ought to look very carefully at those demands. Finally, I want to make a few points about EMDA, which has been mentioned on a number of occasions in this chamber. May I draw the Committee’s attention to the Regional Select Committee’s first report, which was published in July? The Committee chose to look at EMDA, which has a budget of £160 million a year and so deserves careful scrutiny, and Regional Select Committees, working with others, can ensure that such scrutiny takes place. May I praise and commend EMDA’s work? There is a lot of discussion about regional development associations, but my own judgment is that, in comparative terms, EMDA must be near the top of the league table. That view is supported by independent research. Will the Minister tell us how the Government will respond to the Select Committee report? I am particularly interested in three parts of it. First—this point has been half-made during this afternoon’s debate—it is clear that the Government place extra demands upon EMDA. Is EMDA there to respond to local needs, or is it a delivery agency for the Government? Those of us who believe in devolution want a bottom-up approach where priorities are agreed in the region and where the region’s spending plans are not skewed by policy decisions taken centrally by the Government. Secondly, EMDA has been traditionally able to roll forward any underspend in its budget into the following year, which allows a great deal of flexibility. I understand that the intention is to stop that ability to roll forward, but I hope that the Minister will look at that. Finally, EMDA can be an agent for change in a very difficult financial situation. All bodies need to look closely at their spending, which EMDA has been doing by reducing its administrative spend in proportion to the rest of the budget. However, it is clear that difficulties remain across the east midlands, and the budget reduction planned for EMDA over the next three years is not necessarily the right way forward. I welcome this historic sitting and I am delighted—let me be controversial—that Nottingham remains queen of the east midlands. It is right, given Nottingham’s radical past, that this sitting should take place here, and it is right that Nottingham, its conurbation and the east midlands as a whole should continue to grow and compete in European and international terms.