The Queen's Speech: Agencies for English regions

Queen's Speech

Agencies for English regions

Development agencies to promote investment and help small business are to be created as part of Labour's strategy for the English regions. The agencies could be running within two years, starting on 1 April 1999, but there is no commitment to spend any extra money on them as they would be funded by redeploying resources from existing schemes. The new organisations would also co-ordinate economic development as existing agencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have done. The Bill is expected in the autumn but there is no sign of the promised regional government assemblies. Christian Wolmar