Examination of Witnesses (Questions 400-403)
MS JANE
HENDERSON, MR
ALAN CLARKE,
MS PAM
ALEXANDER, MR
DAVID CRAGG
AND MR
DAVID HUGHES
15 MAY 2006
Q400 Martin Horwood: You are saying
in the North East—
Mr Clarke: In the North East it
does, and therefore I think we are better off making it work now
and getting on with it. We have got more functions at the regional
level than we have had previously.
Ms Alexander: In our evidence
we were referring to ways in which the scrutiny might be extended.
For example, we suggested one could link regional ministers into
the scrutiny and accountability proposals or possibly regional
select committees in order to accept the fact that assemblies
are not elected, and therefore identify the scrutinies that would
be appropriate for the future. I do entirely endorse Alan's view
that we have made some really great strides in terms of aligning
strategies over the last couple of years, and there is a lot to
be lost were those to be departed from.
Q401 Chair: You suggested that ministers
should have regional portfolios. How do you think that would relate
to their existing responsibilities, and what do you see as the
specific additional benefits; and how do you think Parliament
should strengthen the regional boards?
Mr Clarke: The first thing to
say is, we suggested this in the evidence really as a basis for
discussion, so I would not come here and say we have a ready-made
solution. I think it would be rather arrogant of us to suggest
to government that this is how it should work. These sorts of
ideas have operated in the past. Until fairly recently the Deputy
Prime Minister had another responsibility as Minister for the
North, which related to the Northern Way, and we have had ministers
in the past that have had specific geographical responsibilities
as well as their portfolio. At the very least, if they have some
feel for the issues within an area outside of their own constituency
and can act as an ambassador and spokesperson for some of those
issues and both influence thinking within government and play
back into the geographical area some high-level thinking that
is going on within government, which is different from a constituency
MP's role, I think that would be a positive step forward that
would raise the profile of the regions within government and vice
versa.
Q402 Chair: Does the Learning and
Skills Council have a view on that?
Mr Cragg: We would say first of
all that the changes we are making at the moment, which gives
much more devolved authority to regional boards, will assist us
in aligning much better with our colleagues in RDAs and, for that
matter, other agencies. I think it is worth—if I gave you
as subjective a view as I possibly could—reflecting on some
of the powers which sit in government offices and those which
sit within RDAs. If you look at the whole territory and regeneration
and then match that across, or look at the mismatch with how neighbourhood
renewal funds are managed, you would question whether there is
an effective alignment given that frequently, if I look in my
region, we have six regeneration zones which are quite consciously
targeting the most deprived and disadvantaged neighbourhoods and
linking where possible need in those neighbourhoods to opportunity
for employment and economic growth. You have then overlaid on
that a whole set of other initiatives, in particular through neighbourhood
renewal. I am in many senses very enthusiastic about what is possible
now in neighbourhood renewal, but in terms of the bureaucracy
and the overlap and duplication of bureaucracy, you would ask
yourselves questions about that. It is also well worth the Committee
reflecting on the overall management arrangements for European
structural funds in the new arrangements. This is again from the
point of view of Objective 2 in particular, which has worked very,
very well in the West Midlands but you do have to ask questions
about management arrangements sitting in a government office for
this particular funding source and sitting in the RDA for another.
Q403 Lyn Brown: At what level do
you think neighbourhood renewal funds should be managed at?
Mr Cragg: Very Much at a local
level, and for that matter, from my experience, where we are really
targeting the most disadvantaged communities, right down at the
community level. It is the administration of the funds which is
the point I am trying to make, because if you view this from the
point of view of the voluntary and community sector, and people
who are at the receiving end, there is a whole pepper-pot impression:
you have new deals for communities over here, you have intervention
from neighbourhood renewal over here, you have got a regeneration
zone supported by the RDA; and the funding and planning regimes
are very, very hard to align.
Lyn Brown: It is certainly not my experience,
but thank you for that.
Chair: Thank you all very much indeed.
If there is something you wanted to add which you did not have
a chance to add, we would always welcome further written submissions.
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