I would, of course, agree with that. There’s nothing wrong with the concept of regional economic growth, or indeed with the city region models. There are OECD reports that are demonstrating that where city regions work, and where regional development works—it’s by how you measure the peripheral areas to the population centres. I fear, from what we’ve heard so far from this Government, that there’s a lot to be concerned about in the so-called peripheral areas of the proposed city regions in the current models.

In terms of the key factors identified by the OECD and others in driving regional success, they include: encouraging critical mass or thinking regionally in order to compete globally—that’s where digital infrastructure is crucial, something that Members in the north, I’m sure, will be very keen to highlight; spurring innovation that can transform a region’s economy—this is where partnerships between HE and the private sector are absolutely crucial; specifically aiming to increase job opportunities and per capita income in a region to at least parity with the state or the nation as a whole—I think that should be a central objective of this Government at a national as well as regional level; strengthen the capacity of people to compete in a global economy—this is where an FE strategy might come in handy; the delivery of proper apprenticeships across the country; and develop and improve regional infrastructure to enhance economic competitiveness—that means a metro system that covers all parts of a region, not just one corner of it, for example.

Some Members will know my particular interest in the idea of creating designated economic growth poles across the nation. One of the great benefits of having a youthful democracy in an old nation like ours is that we can make a choice to build our nation from the bottom up and decide to build in political and economic redistribution to our plans if we choose to. So, designating towns and cities outside of the capital has had, in particular, national significance, and locating corresponding public institutions in them gives all citizens a stake in our national success story and can be a catalyst for local and regional economic growth.

Trickle-down doesn’t work; bottom-up does. I would suggest to the Cabinet Secretary that these should form the key principles of both a national and regional economic vision for our country, when or if an economic plan for this nation is eventually published.