Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill - Clause 19 - Advice of the Electoral Commission
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
5:45 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
Before we move on, I am fascinated that the Minister finds good reasons for thresholds in some situations but not in others. The Opposition have proposed a threshold for the original referendum question to ensure that only those ideas that have, or those people who have, substantial support get through the net. He sees the value of thresholds only when he wants to exclude nasty minorities.
I do not want the right hon. Gentleman to get away with giving the impression that any differences between the CBI and the Government on the regional agenda are mere matters of detail. For the record, I draw the Minister's attention to the CBI press release during its national conference, on 24 to 26 November. It is headed, ''Grassroots CBI gives 'vote of no confidence' in government plans for English regions''. It states:
''The CBI will today . . . warn that its members have given 'a vote of no confidence' in government plans to develop the English regions.
It will urge Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to rethink proposals for elected regional assemblies, made in the recent White Paper''.
It continues:
''It believes that a new tier of government would further complicate the process,''—
that is the process of decision making—thus,
''damaging economic growth''.
It is slightly misleading of the Minister—I am sure unintentionally—to suggest that the differences between the Government and the CBI are merely ones of detail. The CBI is fundamentally opposed to going down the route of elected regional assemblies, as proposed by Government. Having had two opportunities, I would have hoped that the Minister would make it clear that the Deputy Prime Minister allowed his tongue to slip when he suggested to the House that the CBI supported the Government's proposals.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 19 ordered to stand part of the Bill.