The North-East's own Government minister spoke yesterday of his enthusiasm for a new light railway, of his excitement about a new 1bn energy centre and about how the region is going to see the Queen's Speech before Her Majesty sets eyes on it. Political Editor Chris Lloyd reports

TRADITION is to be broken when the North-East gets to discuss the Queen's Speech before its contents are revealed to Parliament, the region's new minister said yesterday.

The speech contains the Government's plans for the year ahead and traditionally no one knows what is in it until Her Majesty delivers it amid great pomp every November.

But Nick Brown, the new Minister for the North-East, revealed yesterday he will hold discussions with three influential groups over the next month and take back their thoughts to Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Nick Brown, a Newcastle MP, was speaking to the North-East Economic Forum at Middlesbrough Football Club's Riverside stadium about his first two months in his role as champion of the region.

He said: "My appointment is not a substitute for or a new form of regional government. We are not returning to the 1650s when Oliver Cromwell had each English region ruled by a major general - that isn't the approach the Prime Minister is adopting.

"I am not searching for new political structures. I am more than happy to work with the representatives my fellow citizens have elected."

He is calling together the elected leaders of the region's councils to discuss the Queen's Speech within the next six weeks. He will then invite business leaders and community groups to similar discussions.

He said: "Historically, the Queen's Speech has been a state secret until Her Majesty reads it out, but the modern process is about detailed consultations before the legislation reaches the statute book, and it would be crazy if the Government conducted that process and then no one could say anything about the proposals for the last few months."

Mr Brown took many, varied questions from forum members:

Tees Valley Light Railway

Tees Valley Regeneration is planning a light railway between Darlington and Saltburn. "It is early yet, but it looks to me like a winner," said Mr Brown. "It is incredibly exciting, but we have to adopt a hard headed approach.

"There are planning questions, but there is such enormous goodwill towards the project that I would not have thought the planning process should be an insuperable obstacle.

"There is a funding gap, but it isn't hopelessly unbridgeable, and I would be confident in championing it and making a strong case to the Treasury. If we can bring it to fruition in a cost-effective way, it would be fantastic."

Energy Institute

The North-East has reached the last three in its battle to secure £1bn of funding to create a national Energy Technologies Institute, which will pioneer research into green energy.

Mr Brown was extremely confident that the region's bid - which is up against the East Midlands and Scotland - will be announced as the winner in a fortnight's time.

The bid is a joint effort between the universities and the private sector. It has the potential to create thousands of jobs.

Mr Brown said: "I think our community would be very proud to be at the forefront of the country's response to climate change and global warming. It would be encouraging and inspiring."

Regional Spatial Strategy

The strategy sets out proposals for the next ten years of economic growth but Whitehall has downplayed many of the projects outside the city regions of Tyne and Wear and the Tees Valley.

The Northern Echo and the North-East Chamber of Commerce are leading the campaign to have the projects reinstated.

Mr Brown said: "I can't accept the RSS in its current form. We should be the hand maidens of economic development, not putting obstacles in its way.

"The focus will inevitably be on the city-regions, but I am determined that the rest of the region is not left out or feels

its contribution is undervalued."

Local government reform

Even with a High Court hearing on-going into the legality of the Government's decision to replace the district councils of Durham and Northumberland with county-wide authorities, Mr Brown said: "We do understand how strong feelings are about it. The reorganisation is not going to be easy, but stronger local government is necessary to champion its communities and make sure they are not left behind."

Heritage and culture

Mr Brown pledged to look at the funding of the North-East's heritage and culture but, as an opera-buff, added: "I've already noticed that all the money goes to Opera North based in Leeds and nothing to this region and that doesn't seem to be a fair distribution of public funds."

Remploy

The largest employer of disabled people is planning to close factories in Spennymoor, Hartlepool and Stockton. Mr Brown said: "I understand the need for change but these are very vulnerable citizens. Their interests have got to be protected in the new arrangements - and not just for the first week. The Remploy environment is sheltered and it is about how we replicate that in the wider market.

If we can't stand up for people like these who need support, what's the point of politics?"