Core Cities

Thérèse Coffey Excerpts

Thursday 8th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Greg Clark]

The hon. Member for Nottingham North (Mr Allen) looked somewhat askance at that, but I think that rivalry between cities is healthy. Cities should have an identity, and verve and competitiveness should be encouraged. As I said to the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), I will not rule out the inclusion of any cities that can make a good case for taking on some of these powers. I would certainly expect Leicester to be pre-eminent among those cities.

[Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (Con)]

I grew up in the city of Liverpool and I am sure that fellow Scousers will welcome these proposals, but I now represent a seat in Suffolk, which does not have a city but is bigger than most of the cities that my hon. Friend has mentioned. What is stopping the transfer of these powers to shire counties, and why are they being restricted to cities at present?

[Greg Clark]

My hon. Friend knows that our agenda for decentralisation extends across the country to authorities of all types—indeed, the Localism Act enacts those powers—but it is right to recognise that our cities have particular challenges and opportunities. Just as cities around the world have prospered from having a policy focus, it is right that we should consider the challenges of urban Britain and, by transferring powers to cities and encouraging them to realise their potential, we should help our cities to do what cities in other countries do, which is to match or exceed the national average of prosperity. Too often, our cities are below the national average in income, and we want them to improve their position.