My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for this Statement and I congratulate her and the Government on entering what are very difficult areas, as I remember well. One thing that has happened in the last 14 years—I know some noble Lords on the other Benches approved of this—was...

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for this Statement and I congratulate her and the Government on entering what are very difficult areas, as I remember well. One thing that has happened in the last 14 years—I know some noble Lords on the other Benches approved of this—was...

Lords motion to take note of the case for local regeneration of former industrial areas across the whole United Kingdom, and the challenges constraining such regeneration, including in relation to local government. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the case for local regeneration of former industrial areas across the whole United Kingdom, and the challenges constraining such regeneration, including in relation to local government. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, it is a great privilege and pleasure to introduce this debate, partly, of course, because it gives me the chance to talk about the north-east again, the contribution that previous generations from that region have made to the prosperity of this country, and what we can do now—in...

My Lords, it is a great privilege and pleasure to introduce this debate, partly, of course, because it gives me the chance to talk about the north-east again, the contribution that previous generations from that region have made to the prosperity of this country, and what we can do now—in...

My Lords, I thank everyone for the debate. It is probably presumptuous of me to say so, but it was refreshing to be in a debate with so many people who found their allegiance to the north-east region. It is unusual in this House so I welcome it, but I...

My Lords, I thank everyone for the debate. It is probably presumptuous of me to say so, but it was refreshing to be in a debate with so many people who found their allegiance to the north-east region. It is unusual in this House so I welcome it, but I...

My Lords, is it not clear that in the Teesside mayoral area, on some of the economic development programmes, we have seen less democratic accountability and less transparency about what is going on? The Government instituted a review that was supposed to report in July on this and we have heard nothing yet. We want more electoral and democratic accountability and more transparency. When is the report going to come out?

My Lords, is it not clear that in the Teesside mayoral area, on some of the economic development programmes, we have seen less democratic accountability and less transparency about what is going on? The Government instituted a review that was supposed to report in July on this and we have heard nothing yet. We want more electoral and democratic accountability and more transparency. When is the report going to come out?

My Lords, I too associate myself with the wishes and prayers that people have for the Royal Family.

I submitted this topic for consideration, albeit in a short debate, because of my serious concern about the increasing number of vulnerable children in the north-east of England. The widening gap in attainment...

My Lords, I too associate myself with the wishes and prayers that people have for the Royal Family.

I submitted this topic for consideration, albeit in a short debate, because of my serious concern about the increasing number of vulnerable children in the north-east of England. The widening gap in attainment...

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the GCSE and A-Level results on the widening gap in attainment for children and young people in the North East of England compared to those in the South of England.

Lords question for short debate on what assessment they have made of the GCSE and A-Level results on the widening gap in attainment for children and young people in the North East of England compared to those in the South of England.

My Lords, the Minister has somewhat depressed me today.

My Lords, the Minister has somewhat depressed me today.

We are fed up with joyous optimism which does not have much underpinning. Can we have real attempts to tackle the things that are affecting people fundamentally? In the north-east, the difference between those who are doing well in schools and those who are not has increased over the last...

We are fed up with joyous optimism which does not have much underpinning. Can we have real attempts to tackle the things that are affecting people fundamentally? In the north-east, the difference between those who are doing well in schools and those who are not has increased over the last...

[Inaudible.]

[Inaudible.]

Good question.

Good question.

Does the Minister recognise that the north has already lost out because of slow decision-making over an airport in the south-east? Teesside’s Durham Tees Valley Airport no longer has any connectivity with London and the connectivity at Newcastle has been severely reduced. This affects our economy. The north-east is still the largest manufacturing region in the country, but much of our work is with Japanese companies. They wonder how on earth they are to get there, when they cannot do so directly when flying into a London airport.

Does the Minister recognise that the north has already lost out because of slow decision-making over an airport in the south-east? Teesside’s Durham Tees Valley Airport no longer has any connectivity with London and the connectivity at Newcastle has been severely reduced. This affects our economy. The north-east is still the largest manufacturing region in the country, but much of our work is with Japanese companies. They wonder how on earth they are to get there, when they cannot do so directly when flying into a London airport.

My Lords, this is a very timely debate. I welcome it enormously. I particularly welcome the fact that it comes from someone else from the north-east. The case for more economic opportunity for our cities is irrefutable. The intellectual case is there and has been made in different ways by...

My Lords, this is a very timely debate. I welcome it enormously. I particularly welcome the fact that it comes from someone else from the north-east. The case for more economic opportunity for our cities is irrefutable. The intellectual case is there and has been made in different ways by...

My Lords, does the Minister accept that in the north-east there is still a long way to go? Last week’s figures on unemployment showed that the north-east is the region where unemployment has not gone down. The Government’s action in local government finance—putting more money into the least deprived areas and taking it from the most deprived areas—means that the most deprived are seeing cuts of 25% in the services that are critical for those who are suffering from the poor economic position. We do not moan in the north-east—we are proud of it—but it is about time the Government recognised that there are still challenges and that they have a responsibility.

My Lords, does the Minister accept that in the north-east there is still a long way to go? Last week’s figures on unemployment showed that the north-east is the region where unemployment has not gone down. The Government’s action in local government finance—putting more money into the least deprived areas and taking it from the most deprived areas—means that the most deprived are seeing cuts of 25% in the services that are critical for those who are suffering from the poor economic position. We do not moan in the north-east—we are proud of it—but it is about time the Government recognised that there are still challenges and that they have a responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 21st December 2000 360 c312W, how many of the Merseyside Objective 1 projects referred to the State Aid Unit at the Department of Trade and Industry have been assessed by the unit;...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 21st December 2000 360 c312W, how many of the Merseyside Objective 1 projects referred to the State Aid Unit at the Department of Trade and Industry have been assessed by the unit;...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much funding has been made available to Liverpool for regeneration purposes since 1997. - Including figures and table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much funding has been made available to Liverpool for regeneration purposes since 1997. - Including figures and table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many projects submitted to the Merseyside Objective 1 programme have been approved; what is the total value of those projects; how many projected jobs are related to them; and if he will make a statement. -...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many projects submitted to the Merseyside Objective 1 programme have been approved; what is the total value of those projects; how many projected jobs are related to them; and if he will make a statement. -...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in what ways the region by region allocation of this Department's funds for economic and physical regeneration initiatives is influenced by the availability of previously developed land and buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in what ways the region by region allocation of this Department's funds for economic and physical regeneration initiatives is influenced by the availability of previously developed land and buildings.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on regional policies in Dorset.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on regional policies in Dorset.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement about the participation of SEEDA in the next round of SRB bids; which RDAs will not be participating in the next round of SRB bids.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement about the participation of SEEDA in the next round of SRB bids; which RDAs will not be participating in the next round of SRB bids.