Mr. Andrew McGuinness:

The Deputy is right about the perception. To follow on from the previous speaker, there would be merit in a policy document or an agreed set of guidelines from the national Government to the local authorities on how local authorities work with regional assemblies - not how regional assemblies work with local authorities, but the other way around. It should include things like having it as an item on our monthly agenda to inform all the elected members of the workings of regional assemblies and the opportunities that are presented by working with regional assemblies. That onus needs to be forced upon local authorities throughout the country. The only way of doing that is through an agreed policy or set of guidelines that would come down from the national Government.