Draft Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Amendment) Order 20154.44 pm
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West) (Con): It is a pleasure to follow the shadow Minister, who has posed some important and serious questions. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s response in due course.
We are broadly united in Parliament, I suspect, and certainly my constituents and others around Greater Manchester are sympathetic to greater devolution: more devolution of decision making and of expenditure in the localities. Greater Manchester has demonstrated a good record over many years of working together. The record of AGMA, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, and of the combined authority is a good one. They have provided a good, solid base for further progress, but the picture is fast moving.
Only a week or two ago, we heard further proposals to suggest that health and social care might be brought into the purview of the new authority and perhaps into the remit of an elected mayor, should one come into being in future. That is so important for my constituents that it becomes critical that we ask searching questions about governance and accountability to ensure that that big transfer of power is done responsibly and sensibly.
I look ahead to the possibility of an elected mayor, but I am sceptical about the wisdom of such a move and I certainly think that there should be a referendum in advance of anything, as has been allowed previously. I will not try your patience, Mr Bone, because the creation of an elected mayor is not in the draft order, but questions about the role and nature of the office of a so-called interim mayor are critical. The draft order provides for an appointment of up to two years, subject to reappointment for another two years. It is not entirely clear from my initial reading—I am sure that the Minister can satisfy me on this point—but there appears to be a single opportunity for reappointment, so there is in effect a sunset clause and the whole thing will lapse should no final conclusion be reached within four years of its establishment.
A further significant democratic concern was rightly expressed by the shadow Minister. Is the creation of an appointed office of interim mayor, a precursor to any elected office of mayor, within the bounds of propriety unless any candidate for the office of interim mayor
rules him or herself out of the possibility of standing for elected office immediately afterwards? An appointed de facto mayor would have a term of two—or even up to four—years to establish a profile and a platform for election, which would clearly be improper and unfair. I hope that the Minister will give me some reassurance and comfort.
To conclude, I again make it clear that the principle of devolution of decision making and expenditure to Greater Manchester and elsewhere is a good one, but that it is critically important for us to get things right.