Regional Assemblies

Mr. Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed in each regional assembly; how much funding from council tax went to each regional assembly in 2003–04; and how much public funding the South West Regional Assembly has received since it was established. [215544]

Mr. Raynsford: Regional Assemblies employed the equivalent of 301.7 full-time staff at the end of March 2004 as detailed in the following table.
Regional assembly Staff employed (at end of March 2004)
East 38.5
East Midlands 21
North East 28
North West 78
South East 32
South West 56
West Midlands 11
Yorkshire and Humber 37.2
Total 301.7


The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made grants totalling £4,814,000 to the South West Regional Assembly between April 2001 and to date.

9 Feb 2005 : Column 1586W



The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold any information relating to how much council tax funding went to each regional assembly in 2003–04 and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.