The idea of the Yorkshire and Humberside region getting its own elected 'parliament' is to be discussed by City of York Council next week (Friday, February 21).

Members of the council's Executive will be asked on Friday to respond to the government's consultation over the possibility of providing a regional assembly for Yorkshire and Humberside. The consultation is being carried out as part of a national debate on regional assemblies across England prompted by the government's White Paper 'Your Region, Your Choice'. The council's executive will be discussing a report about the prospects for a referendum on regional government within the region which asks them to consider the overall issue of regional government and assess the potential implications of regional government on York.

They are also being asked to decide whether they want to back a referendum on regional government within the region.

The council has already sounded out residents' immediate reactions about regional government through one of its Talkabout, 'people's panel', questionnaires. People were questioned before the details of the government's plans were widely publicised and the numbers viewing the idea as 'bad' or 'good' were split 42 per cent to 32 per cent - with a large 26 per cent expressing a 'don't know' response. But, interestingly, 99 per cent of those in favour of the idea said they would like such a regional assembly located in York.

The report also sets out central government's proposed method and timescale for introducing elected regional assemblies into English regions with a national consultation on public interest in the issue ending next month followed by an announcement where the first vote will take place.

As part of the consultation, which closes on Monday, March 3, a number of events have been organised by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly (www.yhreferendum.info) - a local government partnership - which will decide its own position on Monday, February 24.

David Atkinson, City of York Council's chief executive, said, "It is generally thought that the consultation will indicate that interest is sufficient in Yorkshire and the Humber for it to be in the first phase of referenda taking place in Autumn 2004 along with the North East and the North West. However, this will only be decided once the national consultation is complete."

Leader of the council Councillor Dave Merrett said, "There are some very important issues underlying this debate. Very substantial sums of taxpayers' money are spent by the existing government offices in each region and other non-elected bodies such as Yorkshire Forward - with little accountability to Yorkshire and Humberside residents.

"The north of the country as a whole also loses out badly in the allocation of government spending. And in the European Community elected regional government is the norm outside the UK with a substantial voice in Brussels."

Councillor Merrett said there were key questions to be considered during the debate.

He said, "Could elected regional government get a clear grip on identifying what needs to be done in Yorkshire and Humber regionally and provide an effective voice for us at Whitehall and in Brussels? And will the British government give regional government real clout? We have yet to see any real detail.

"Will regional government be kept small and effective and not become an expensive bureaucratic burden? I certainly think there is a debate to be had."

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Notes for Editors: The precise powers and structure of an elected regional assembly will not be fully known until the publication of a second bill that will not take place until at least one region has voted at a referendum to introduce regional government.

Regional government will take the form of elected regional assemblies of between 25 and 35 members. The assembly will have a leader and cabinet of up to six members chosen by and accountable to the full assembly. Elected regional assemblies would have specific responsibilities according to the white paper that include setting priorities, delivering regional strategies and allocating funding in the areas of: economic development, sustainable development, skills and employment, housing, culture and tourism, transport, spatial planning, biodiversity, waste and public health.