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Government: Regional Ministers

Volume 703: debated on Tuesday 22 July 2008

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to improve the accountability of regional Ministers to Parliament. [HL4933]

Regional Ministers do not have executive powers, and it is for departmental Ministers to answer Parliamentary Questions on issues pertaining to their department’s responsibilities. The Government believe, however, that regional Ministers should be accountable to Parliament for their activities and fulfilling the roles set out in The Governance of Britain Green Paper, and have made proposals accordingly in their response to the third report of the House of Commons Select Committee on Modernisation of the House, of the current Session, into regional accountability, published on 21 July (Cm 7376).

We have announced that provision should be made in the Commons for regional Grand Committees in each English region (excluding London, at least initially), at which there would be oral questions to regional Ministers on their activities in their capacity as regional Ministers and other proceedings in which regional Ministers will participate. The Government’s response also proposes the establishment of regional Select Committees, which could seek evidence from regional Ministers, among other witnesses. The Government hope to bring forward motions to implement these proposals in the autumn.