Combined Authorities (Consequential Amendments) Order 2014

Baroness Fookes Excerpts

Monday 24th March 2014 Grand Committee

[Lord Storey (LD)]

I am very grateful for the comments from my noble friend. I am also delighted to hear the Minister address a number of issues that have caused concern among Members. We are very much in favour of combined authorities—they are an important economic opportunity for local areas. However, the thing that concerned us most was the citation. The word “region” is apparently no longer acceptable, and when in my area there was discussion about what name would be acceptable, it was not possible to come up with an agreed name. The notion of trying to market and get external investment into the Liverpool region using the citation “Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral”, would be rather difficult. I was going to ask my noble friend whether that was purely a legal name and whether these areas could choose whatever name they wanted to get this external investment and marketing which has been so important, certainly in my area, for the past 10 or so years, and she has said—it is quite important—that they can have whatever brand name they choose. That is hugely important.

[The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Fookes) (Con)]

My Lords, I am sorry: we now have to interrupt proceedings. We shall reconvene in 10 minutes.