BinB Home     :      Micro site Log-in     :      01753 852904     :      Email Log-in      :      Buy YOUR - BinB Microsite - Promotional Micro site
Political Editor
c/o Business in Berkshire
Windsor
Berkshire
SL4 4BU
Email
View map

 

John Redwood Challenges DTI over Regional Development Agencies
Yesterday in the House of Commons, John Redwood challenged the Department of Trade and Industry to strengthen the code of conduct for Regional Development Agencies in order to stop unnecessary expenditure and their frequent misrepresentation of constituents' views. John has been particularly critical of the South East England Development Agency's approach to transport, where it has dithered and failed to resolve the problem.

Extract from Hansard:
Mr. John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con): Will the Minister strengthen the code of conduct in two ways? First, will he do that through control of wasteful and unnecessary expenditure to stop RDAs wasting money and going into the glossy brochure industry too often? Secondly, will he stop them misrepresenting the views of local communities that do not want their attentions and whose views are much better represented by Members of Parliament and councillors? So often, RDAs say the opposite and they are wrong. Will the right hon. Gentleman strengthen the code of conduct?

Alun Michael: If the code of conduct needed to be strengthened, we would be happy to consider that, but with the right hon. Gentleman's past of sending back

19 Jan 2006 : Column 945

money that would have benefited communities and the economy in Wales, it ill behoves him to examine the performance of regional development agencies. We have encouraged RDAs to work as a team and they have done some good work, not duplicating each other, to address rural development and many other issues together. The right hon. Gentleman's criticism is overdone.


For further information please contact

John Redwood on 07711 486 555

Nikki Page on 0705 011 3286




Wordtracker
Business in Berkshire uses Wordtracker to help manage our micro site owner accounts. It is the perfect tool for establishing the search strings that people are actually searching... Rather than assuming... go open your own account, click below...