1. The Regional Problem: A Response
Steve Fothergill
Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research
Sheffield Hallam University

2. 1. The IPPR report is an excellent piece of work

3. 2. The present government is pushing regional development up the political agenda

4. 3. The scale of the regional problem is a lot bigger than most politicians care to admit

5. 4. The Treasury is wrong to claim the problem is primarily about 'productivity'

6. 5. The regions are going to take a hit in terms of EU funding

7. 6. Changes in EU state aid rules could deliver a 'double whammy'

8. 7. There is confusion between 'devolution' and 'regional economic development'

9. 8. We are in danger of replacing regional policy by a national industrial policy delivered in the regions

10. 9. Too much faith is being placed in labour market supply-side policies

11. 10. Regional development isn't rocket science