Topical Questions

Part of Business, Innovation and Skills – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 8 July 2010.

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Photo of Jack Dromey Jack Dromey Labour, Birmingham, Erdington 10:30, 8 July 2010

Can the Secretary of State clear up the confusion on the future of regional development agencies that has arisen out of conflicting statements? On the one hand, there is an apparent open-mindedness on the part of the Secretary of State; on the other, his counterpart in the Department for Communities and Local Government has taken a more hard-line and ideological approach. If there is a desire in any region, including the west midlands, for the retention of a strong regional structure-albeit with sub-regional arrangements, including local employment partnerships-will the Secretary of State be open to the retention of a strong regional development agency there?