Local government minister, John Healey, believes parliament's support for regional select committees is a ‘radical and important step forward' for sub-national policy-making. Speaking after the Commons voted to approve the plan, first muted in last summer's sub-national review, Mr Healey said: ‘The new committees will raise the level of interest and debate on regional and local policy. They will bring sharp scrutiny to the work of a range of agencies in the regions.' However, Mr Healey said he was ‘disappointed' that local council leaders would not sit on the committees.
