More devolution?

Would an Assembly bring together the North of England?

The Government has announced that parts of England are to be offered mini-parliaments.

Those parts of the country where there's big demand will get a chance to vote on the idea in referendums.

The devolved assemblies would be funded mainly by Government grant and would allocate funding for economic development, housing, tourism, arts and sport.

The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescot, told the House of Commons that it was time England's regions helped drive economic development.

But the Conservatives, led by Shadow Transport and Local Government Secretary Theresa May, say the proposal will make people feel more distant from, not closer to, decision making, and that beloved counties would be abolished.

The Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford explained the plans to PM.

Who will be first?

Some of the areas of England which could see assemblies are the North West, Yorkshire and the West Midlands. But it's the north-east which is widely seen as the most likely candidate for a referendum.

To assess reaction to the proposals there, our reporter Luke Walton went to Newcastle.

Is this the best way?

One example of devolved government often put forward as a good model comes from Germany, where the Lander enjoy powers even greater than those proposed for England.

We've been hearing from Professor Charlie Jeffery from the Institute of German Studies at the University of Birmingham. He told us that the Lander in Germany have much more power than the proposed new English institutions.