Grand Committee 'has little influence'
Exeter's County Hall yesterday played host to the Regional Grand Committee, the first in a series of 16 debates across the country estimated to cost a total of £270,000.
They are designed to give the public greater scrutiny of affairs of Whitehall. But only 18 of the South West's 51 MPs turned up.
And while the main business was ostensibly a debate on the economic downturn and tackling unemployment, many opposition MPs took the opportunity to grill current Minister for the South West Jim Knight on a number of issues, including his own role.
They raised questions on the concept of the South West region, with many arguing Devon and Cornwall have little in common with areas such as Swindon and Bristol, and should be represented separately. Some criticised extra layers of government such as the Regional Development Agency (RDA), and called for them to be abolished.
Devon and Cornwall were comparatively well represented in the debate, with nine MPs from the two counties attending.
Gary Streeter, Tory MP for South West Devon, rubbished the notion the meeting was bringing Parliament outside London.
He said the key difference was in Whitehall, members addressed ministers with the power to act, whereas Mr Knight could only share views on issues outside his remit as employment minister.
Andrew George, Lib-Dem MP for St Ives, said the committee had "questionable legitimacy", and criticised the Government's fearful approach to devolution.
Adrian Sanders, Lib-Dem MP for Torbay, hit out at the Government's decision to insist MPs who sat on the South West Regional Committee, which compiled the report considered by the Grand Committee, were Labour, considering the party has now all but been wiped out in parts of the Westcountry. He branded the decision "partisan", in line with an "authoritarian" approach to government.
Mr Knight was asked by MPs how much time he dedicated to his role, considering he already had the full-time job of employment minister. Many jeered when he said 35-40 per cent of his time was spent on regional affairs, prompting Mr Streeter to label him a "part-time minister".
But Mr Knight responded his role was to facilitate communications and broker agreements to benefit the South West.
He described yesterday's event as "historic", and said: "It's a fantastic opportunity for the people of the South West to hold us to account, and to tell us what more we can do for the South West."
