TORIES have attacked the 'wasteful spending' of more than £1million advertising a referendum on an elected North West Regional Assembly which never took place.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said the government might as well have burned the money in the middle of an East Lancashire road.

And front bencher Bernard Jenkin said the cash should have been spent on doctors, police officers, or teachers.

Government Minister Lord Rooker revealed that the "Your Say" campaign, to publicise the popular vote on the proposed body in the North West, cost £1.07million out of an original budget of £2.2million before it was abandoned following controversy over the use of all-postal voting.

A similar campaign for a scrapped referendum in Yorkshire and the Humber cost £0.95million out of a budget of £1.6million.

And the "Your Say" campaign in the North East -- which is now the only referendum remaining to take place next month -- cost £1.22million compared to an original budget of £1.2million.

Tory back bencher Mr Evans said: "The government might as well have put that money in the middle of a road in East Lancashire and set light to it.

"It is a total waste of money.

"They could have used a small amount of money to test people's reaction to it and they would have discovered how many people, including some of their own MPs, are against it."