THE devil, of course, is always in the detail, but as broad brush stuff goes, yesterday's comprehensive spending review showed that the Government's heart is in the right place.

Indeed, many people in the North-East voted New Labour five years ago to hear about such investment in schools, health, law and order and job creation. We may well also nod in agreement that the regional development agencies are to become more powerful, that scientific development is going to be promoted, that charities are going to be helped and that a tiny, but increasing, amount of our national wealth is going to assist some of the most poverty-stricken parts of the world.

It is easy to be cynical about yet another Government promise of more money for all. But we should, perhaps, remind ourselves that primary education has improved because of the Government's attentions and there is a feeling that, after a generation of abuse, the health service is on the brink of recovery.

The North-East might also allow itself a little glimpse into the future. Yesterday's spending review announced lump sums for the devolved assemblies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which will be divvied up and spent by those assemblies. As we stand on the brink of a referendum to decide whether from the Tees northwards gets its own assembly, we should ask whether we'd be happy if Mr Brown's next spending review in 2005 gave a lump sum for elected representatives here to determine what to do with.

But let us now give in to cynicism. With the stock market plummeting, how will Mr Brown pay for all this if the economy doesn't grow as he predicts? Taxes? Is he not in danger of raising expectations to a dangerously high level? How much more sapping bureaucracy will Mr Brown's new inspectorates create? And what kind of outside management teams will be shipped in to sort out failing local councils and police forces?

Our biggest cause of cynicism, though, is that the country first voted New Labour in 1997. Ever since, it has heard time and again about things getting better and money starting to arrive. Now we learn that it will take until 2006.

The Government will not be judged on the size of its promises. The figures that count are the ones about waiting times to see your doctor, delays on the trains and the number of books that your child has to share at school.

It is those figures, and not the size of yesterday's promises, that will be taken into account at the next election - although the Tories will have to offer far more than they did yesterday if that election is to be a contest.