Devolution is key to levelling up Britain – Ann Taylor

THE House of Lords Constitution Committee, which I chair, is today calling on the Government to improve governance structures within England, for a fairer and more equal society.
How can decision-making be devolved away from the Houses of Parliament? Former Labour minister Ann Taylor, chair of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, poses the question.How can decision-making be devolved away from the Houses of Parliament? Former Labour minister Ann Taylor, chair of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, poses the question.
How can decision-making be devolved away from the Houses of Parliament? Former Labour minister Ann Taylor, chair of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, poses the question.

Our report, Respect and Co-operation: Building a Stronger Union for the 21st Century, calls for a resetting of relationships between central, local and regional authorities.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Every region in the UK is facing significant challenges. Recovery from the pandemic, the pace of change of our industrial structure, the technological revolution, financial crises, climate change and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU would all test our resilience.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour peer and chair of the Lords Constitution Committee. She was MP for Dewsbury from 1987 to 2005.Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour peer and chair of the Lords Constitution Committee. She was MP for Dewsbury from 1987 to 2005.
Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour peer and chair of the Lords Constitution Committee. She was MP for Dewsbury from 1987 to 2005.

Combined they are indeed challenging. But central government cannot know every nuance of every region’s problems.

If there is going to be any effective delivery of change in Yorkshire and the North, then we need to see a different approach on the part of the Government to the role of mayors and local authorities, who are best placed to know what their areas need and how to improve them.

As we await the Government’s much delayed Levelling Up White Paper, the issue of regional inequalities within England has never been more evident.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The UK stands out as much more centralised than its counterparts – that is that areas outside of London and the South-East rightly feel largely ignored and left behind in Government thinking.

Michael Gove is the Cabinet minister tasked with overseeing levelling up.Michael Gove is the Cabinet minister tasked with overseeing levelling up.
Michael Gove is the Cabinet minister tasked with overseeing levelling up.

Based on evidence from every layer of government from local to Whitehall, as well as from academics and interested individuals, my Committee’s report strongly supports the development of devolution within England, to help improve economic performance and address regional inequalities.

During our inquiry we heard compelling evidence from local councillors on both sides of the political spectrum that if local authorities had the powers and resources they need, they could tackle problems more effectively and more efficiently. This is what is needed if we are to level up the country.

Providing sufficient resources and building greater capacity and capability among devolved authorities will be critical to the successful extension of devolution within England.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Without this, there is a risk that problems will simply be dumped on local areas without the means to address them.

Meaningful and thriving devolution will also be dependent on devolved authorities having the financial means to exercise their powers effectively.

This will require more streamlined funding from central government, as well as greater fiscal devolution within England.

All the while central government must retain its role in redistributing resources where necessary. We believe the current deals-based approach to devolution is not sufficiently ambitious.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The report calls on the Government to develop a more principled devolution framework, in co-operation with local government, to provide a clear baseline for further devolution of powers within England. We would like to see a degree of respect and partnership between the Government and sub-national government in England as they work toward the goal of decentralisation.

The Committee believes greater decentralisation will not only help to strengthen the governance of England but will also benefit the overall health of the Union, by rebalancing power between central government and the other parts of the UK.

What the report says...

OVER recent years a multiplicity of funding initiatives to which local government is invited to bid has emerged. This occupies a disproportionate amount of local government capacity.

We recommend the Government rationalises the funding pots available to local government by introducing a framework of multi-year single-pot funds, which would facilitate long term planning aligned with local needs...

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meaningful and thriving devolution within England will not be achieved if devolved authorities are not granted the financial means to exercise their powers effectively. We recommend the Government introduces greater fiscal devolution to devolved authorities, which will require the Treasury to relinquish a degree of control over taxation.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton is a Labour peer and chair of the Lords Constitution Committee. She was MP for Dewsbury from 1987 to 2005.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app, receive exclusive members-only offers and access to all premium content and columns. Click here to subscribe.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.