The House is sitting today to vote on the establishment of ten new regional parliamentary select committees.

These committees are a continuation of the John Prescott legacy. I am firmly committed to abolishing regional development agencies, so I will not be voting for this, especially because it will cost millions of pounds of taxpayers' money, at at time when we all know it could be much better spent for greater benefit.

The Conservative Party has just won a vote, which means the Chairmen of these Committees will not be paid the £12,000 as proposed, so hopefully the idea may die a natural death.