Yorkshire: Devolution

Lord Cormack Excerpts
Monday 10th February 2020

(4 years, 2 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Viscount Younger of Leckie Portrait Viscount Younger of Leckie
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It is. The criteria for devolution, which we have consistently applied, are that it has to be to a functional economic area that is strong and has accountable governance. Those are the criteria we should stick to.

Lord Cormack Portrait Lord Cormack (Con)
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My Lords, why does my noble friend continue to insist that there has to be “one area, one mayor”? Many people do not like that model. While I endorse what my noble friend from Lincolnshire said about Lincolnshire, I stress that many people believe that having one mayor is completely unnecessary. You can still have one Yorkshire.

Viscount Younger of Leckie Portrait Viscount Younger of Leckie
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As I say, it is up to discussions that are taking place. My noble friend will know that Cornwall is different, so it is not just one model for the whole of England. We are having discussions on a variety of ideas, but the mayoral model seems to be a good one that is accepted locally.