Dr Julian Lewis: Does my hon. Friend [Peter Atkinson] agree that the Minister's remarks are an insult to the good sense of the British people, who elected, re-elected and re-elected again Conservative Governments, presumably because they thought that they were doing rather a good job?

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Dr Lewis: In spite of what my hon. Friend [Peter Atkinson] said, Opposition Whips are allowed to intervene, fortunately. I recently asked the Minister for Local Government how many letters he has received requesting the introduction of regional government in the south-east, and the answer was – not a single one.