JOYCE Quin asked to leave the Government last autumn so she could resume her backbench career, but then the foot-and-mouth crisis blew up and, as Agriculture Minister, she couldn't be spared.

After the General Election, she was allowed her wish, and one of the subjects she is going to pursue with the freedom of the backbenches is regional government for the North.

As she mentions in her article, it is a cause that has been dear to her heart for her entire political career. Hers is not a Damascene conversion like Peter Mandelson. She spoke about devolution in her maiden speech to the House of Commons as the newly-elected Gateshead East MP in 1987, and she says: "I am a North-East person and I have felt strongly about this since my teens."

Chief among her interests in Who's Who is North-East local history - she has been a Newcastle City tour guide for 20 years - and playing the Northumbrian pipes.

Her four years in the Government have only strengthened her belief in a need for an elected North-East assembly. She worked in the Home Office on regional crime strategies.

In the Foreign Office, as Minister for Europe, she worked on regional applications for EU money. She says: "It struck me there that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a say right from the word go and it is important for the regions of England to have a share of the money and to set the priorities for how that money is spent."

And in the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, she worked with the regional development agencies in looking at the importance of agriculture and rural industries to a region's economy.

In her article, Ms Quin addresses one of the biggest fears of opponents of a regional assembly - that it will simply be another layer of politicians. She says: "It is not another layer, it is democratising an existing layer. There is already a Government Office North-East and various quangoes covering everything from the regional environment to health, but there's very little involvement of people at a grass roots level in these organisations."

Another big fear, on Teesside in particular and outside Tyneside in general, is that a North-East assembly will be dominated by Newcastle. Ms Quin says: "A regional body doesn't negate the importance of ensuring that different areas within the region feel properly catered for.

"In the North-East Assembly at the moment, Teesside elements are actually very strong - the vice chair is from Stockton and there is a lot of business representation."

A further fear is that it will be difficult to enthuse the people of the North-East with a passion for devolution. Ms Quin thinks that argument alone will convince them.

Ms Quin is now joined by two other former Government members - Mr Mandelson and former whip David Clelland, the Tyne Bridge MP - which will provide the North-East's campaign with prominent figureheads and will ensure that the pressure remains on those still in Government.