This paper sets out to do two things:
First - it demonstrates that Regionalisation of Britain is entirely an EU project.
Second - it demonstrates that the White paper 'Your Region Your Choice' is a
falsehood when it says that it will bring democracy closer to the people.

The paper is necessarily short. It therefore doesn't tell the whole story
but gives a diary account.

1965 - The EU published its first Memo on Regionalisation confirming that it
is EU Policy.  It has been updated from time to time since then - See May
2001

1972 - Heath took Britain into the EU (EEC) declaring that there would be
'no loss of Sovereignty.  He passed the European Communities Act which made
European law superior to British law. He was aware that this would be
unpopular so he arranged that money which was returned to us from Brussels
should come via the regions creating the impression that we were benefiting
from our membership.

1973 - Regional Development Fund established. Heath instituted Local
Government re-organisation with a view to moving local government towards
regionalisation.

1975 - Prime Minister Harold Wilson organised a referendum on our
membership. The government paper stated: 'There was a threat to employment
in Britain from the movement in the Common Market towards an Economic and
Monetary Union. This threat has been removed. (From: 'Your Vote Counts - Use
it'. Issued by H.M. Government).

1986 - Single European Act was passed 'Regionalisation became the central
policy of the EU'.

1992 - The Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty) established the
Committee of the regions with its Headquarters in Brussels.

1992 - The European Commission published a map - 'The European Community - a
Community with no internal frontiers'. The map showed Great Britain which
included Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and nine other regions. There was
no mention of England.

1995 - Following a review of the local government structure 46 Unitary
authorities were established between 1995 and 1998. Evidence shown later in
this paper proves that this was part of the regionalisation plan.

1997 - Labour Government took office. It quickly introduced devolution (i.e.
Regionalisation) in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales & London leaving 8
remaining regions in England

1998 - The Labour Government launched 'the Democratic Renewable Debate' and
in the same year the Regional Development Agencies Act  was passed allowing
the establishment of Regional Development Agencies. RDAs co-ordinate Land
use, Transport, Economic development, Agriculture, Energy & Waste.  All RDAs
have Brussels offices. Each region will ultimately have two sections of
government: an elected assembly and a development agency.

1999 - Regional Assemblies were established - Members are 'stakeholders' and
councillors from local authorities. Representatives are appointed (i.e. not
elected). The Government was aware that there would be some opposition to
regionalisation and on the assumption that the Anglican Church would be seen
as neutral and apolitical, it appointed Bishops as Chairmen of
Constitutional Conventions. The purpose of these was to hold meetings to
persuade local people that they had a 'regional identity'.

2001 -  Committee of the Regions published its latest paper on
Regionalisation entitled 'Major Steps towards a Europe of the Regions and
Cities in an Integrated Continent'.

2001-  Government issued a Planning Green Paper.  It removes County Councils
from the planning process.

15th November 2001, the DTLR Minister Lord Falconer stated in the House of
Lords that 'three tiers of Government are too many' and the government  is
'looking at county and district councils'

May 2002 the Government introduced its White Paper: 'Your Region, Your
Choice - Revitalising the English Regions'. It claims to: 'Bring Democracy
closer to the people' and that the cost of running a region will be
approximately £25 million. This is clearly untrue. Each Region will have  25
elected representatives looking after the region. This is far less than the
County and District/ Borough Councillors at present and will make
representatives unknown to most of the electorate.

3rd Dec 2003. In answering a questions in House of Commons Nick  Raynsford
MP said: 'Where an elected regional assembly is established, existing two
tier local government will be restructured as unitary authorities. It is now
quite clear that County and District/Borough Councils will be replaced with
Unitary Authorities and Regions

Also in 2003  the District Auditor upheld complaints that the North East
Assembly was misusing funds by paying for the publication of propaganda
promoting an elected assembly. This breached the Local Government Act. The
Act gives councillors clear instructions regarding their behaviour as
councillors. As a result, at the suggestion of John Prescott, some Regions
have set themselves up as Limited Companies to protect their members against
legal claims for misuse of public funds. They now claim that they are
'directors' rather than 'councillors'

Costs. The White Paper estimated that each assembly would require about £25
million a year to run. As a number of Regions have already been established
it is possible to compare actual costs with estimates.

Scotland. Although there was a perfectly adequate parliament building in
Scotland, the new Parliament decided to build a new one at an estimated cost
of £40 million. The cost has already escalated to £400 million. A public
enquiry is being held after allegations of fraud in the placing of the
contract. The cost of this enquiry is estimated at £1.5 million. Scotland
used to be run by 5 ministers; there are now 20. Before devolution there
were 3,336 officials working for the old Scottish Office; there are now
4,272,  costing an extra £20 million.

Wales. The total number of civil servants has risen from 2,250 to almost
3,400. The Welsh Assembly decided to build a three-storey modernistic glass
debating chamber on the edge of Cardiff Bay for £12 million. In 2001, when
the costs had reached £27 million the architect, Lord Rogers was sacked. The
Assembly then advertised for a fixed-price builder. Taylor Woodrow
Construction won the work and engaged Lord Rogers as a sub-contractor. The
Assembly then announced that the cost of the work was £41 million, to which
has to be added IT equipment, furnishings, professional fees and VAT. During
the debate on whether Wales should have an Assembly, those in favour said
its running costs would be covered through the money saved from abolishing
quangos. In the event, the quangos were merged into the Assembly
administration.