Prescott:Regions must punch their weight

Prescott promises radical and innovative approach to regions

They are integration, de-centralisation, re-generation, partnership , and sustainability. The government's top priority was to establish development agencies for all the regions of England.

He said " English regions have suffered huge disadvantage over the years and it is absolutely vital that we give the regions the tools to do the jobs themselves. My legislative priorities will lead to significant devolution and de-centralisation in a way that will enable the regions to punch their weight in the future."

Support for Regional Offices

He added," We will continue to support the ethic of partnership, and, where good partnerships already exist we will co-operate with them. We will allow the regions to have a much greater say in setting it's strategic priorities. Too much of this in the past has been dictated from Whitehall. Innovation and flexibility will be encouraged at all times."

He said the existing regional boundaries would not be reviewed saying " for better or for worse we will live with the boundaries we have."