A BILL to set up a tax-raising north west regional parliament has been introduced at Westminster.

Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrat's Littleborough and Saddleworth MP, urged the Government to create powerful regional assemblies for every part of Britain.

He says decisions should be taken at the lowest practical level with a dramatic move away from centralised government, as has happened widely elsewhere in the European Union.

Introducing his 10-minute rule Bill, Mr Davies said: "I believe it is a nonsense and disgrace that people in a region such as the north west, which with a population of seven million is larger than a number of the nations within the European union, have so little influence over decisions which affect them and them alone."

His plan would virtually eliminate the Department of the Environment.

It would also dramatically trim the size and powers of the Trade and Industry, Transport, and Education and Employment departments bringing thousands of regional civil servants under direct democratic control for the first time.

In stark contrast to Shadow Home Secretary, Blackburn MP Jack Straw's proposals for regional government, Mr Davies's mini parliaments would have limited tax-raising powers.

He said: "It is time we looked to our regions and harnessed the initiative of their people to find new solutions to the problems we face."

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