“Discussing Devolution” with Andrew Lewer MP, Chair of the Devolution All-Party Parliamentary Group

SEEC will host a member’s discussion with the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Devolution; Mr Andrew Lewer MP.  

The Parliamentary Group  

The Group, which is sponsored by the LGA, is a forum in Parliament for discussion on the effectiveness of devolution in non-metropolitan England. 

Like other APPGs, the Group has Parliamentarians of both houses and all parties. 

The Devolution APPG has launched an open call for evidence on an inquiry into the role that central government has in making a success of devolution in England. The deadline for submissions is 8^th January 2021. 

 Parliamentary Group Chair Mr Andrew Lewer MP

• First elected to Parliament in June 2017, Mr Lewer is the only politician in Britain to have served as an MP, an MEP, and a Council Leader.

• He had been elected to represent the East Midlands in the European Parliament in 2014. He was Coordinator of the     European Conservative and Group for the Culture and Education and the Regional Development Committees.
• In December 2019 he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Office team. 
• He received an MBE in 2014 for his services as Leader of Derbyshire County Council from 2009 to 2013 and as Deputy Chairman of the LGA from 2011 to 2014.

The meeting 

Andrew agreed it would be ideal to have a discussion with a group of Councillors to gauge views on devolution and related matters from a South East regional perspective.  

The meeting will serve as a platform that can support the pursuit of SEEC main objectives: 

• To provide and act as a unified democratic voice on South East interests
• To monitor and highlight the economic pulse of the South East
• To promote and maintain the South East’s position as a leading global economy 
• To seek and secure fair funding for the South East region

The format will be: 

Areas for reflection 

The discussion will be wide-ranging. Participants may wish to give some thought to matters related to devolution such as: 

• Is there a real or pressing need for devolution in your area?  

• What specific policy areas do you believe need to be devolved? 

• Should that be to District, County, or sub regional level? 

• Do you think that a Metro Mayor type figure is needed to lead local devolution? 

South East viewpoints 

SEEC recently published polling of over 1,000 people on a range of public policy matters. 

The polling was unique in that it was from an audience of three separate, distinct cohorts:

• 261 Councillors
• 278 Business leaders
• 504 Members of the Public

See the polling attachment to this note (page 7 and 8 in particular). 

Proceedings 

With 28 participants, SEEC looks forward to a good discussion. 

In order to foster a good exchange of views, the forum will be conducted to a degree under the Chatham House Rule – SEEC will not be maintaining a note of what specific points were raised by an individual (or identifying a particular local authority).  

Andrew Lewer himself may choose to follow-up on points raised by you afterwards.