Devolution in England

Lord Beith Excerpts

Monday 2nd March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Betts]

That is an interesting question. I do not think there is anything in the water of members of the Communities and Local Government Committee that would prevent that. Members on the two Front Benches probably have slightly different water that affects the way they think on certain issues. I will come back to that in due course.

[Sir Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Betts]

The right hon. Gentleman on the third Front Bench wants to join in as well.

[Sir Alan Beith]

I pay tribute to the hon. Gentleman’s commitment on this issue, particularly to the devolution of tax-raising powers. Does he recognise that the accountability problem, which has been raised, is a real one? For example, in the north-east, one party currently has the leadership in every authority, so there is a lack of representation of the minorities, whether Conservative or Liberal Democrat, across the region in bodies holding accountability for what is done with the money.

[Mr Betts]

I hear what the right hon. Gentleman says and I think the issue of accountability is important, but it can be dealt with in a number of ways. Instinctively, my view is that these things should be decided at a local level, and areas may come to different views about how accountability should be exercised. I do not think that it is up to us to prescribe one model for how that should happen.