Richard Burden MP: Fighting for a fair deal for everyone in Birmingham Northfield

20 July 2010

Government’s insult to the West Midlands -

In the last Parliament, watchdog committees were established to keep an eye on government performance in different English regions and to give regions a stronger voice at Westminster. I was the Chair of the West Midlands Committee.

The new government has scrapped the committees and last week issued a brief ministerial statement in response to recent inquires by the East Midlands, South East and West Midlands Select Committees, rather than respond to the Committees’ recommendations in detail in line with usual practice.

The West Midlands Committee published two reports on 8th April 2010: ‘Planning for the future: Housing and economic development in the West Midlands’ and ‘Making the Voice of the West Midlands heard: the Work of the Committee, and the future for the Region’.

The Committee’s report on ‘Planning for the future’ considered issues including housing, regeneration, economic development and investment in infrastructure. It was based on evidence from over 20 regional organisations active in the field and put forward 19 recommendations for action. However the ministerial statement ignores most of the recommendations in a government response of just four paragraphs.

The Committee’s other report on ‘Making the voice of the West Midlands heard’, which drew on an open discussion meeting held at Aston University with representatives of regional bodies, local authorities, business groups, unions and local voluntary and community groups, received a response of just two sentences.

These reports looked at important issues facing our region. They contained serious recommendations and represented the views of people we spoke to across the region. For the new government to dismiss these reports in 10 sentences demonstrates breath-taking arrogance and is an insult to the people of the West Midlands.

It is clear that this new government is only interested in what its own ministers think rather than listening to the voices of people in the West Midlands.

All this underlines how important it is for businesses, Councils, MPs, voluntary organisations and others in the West Midlands to get our act together in response to the government’s plan to scrap the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands.

I will be seeking a Commons debate on the West Midlands Committee’s reports as soon as possible. It’s not good enough for ministers to hide behind a written statement to avoid answering difficult questions. I want them to answer our recommendations properly in the House of Commons.