Unlike the majority of other EU states England has no Regional Governmental structure. Initially, the Government has legislated to create Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to promote economic development in a similar way to the Scottish Enterprise and the Welsh Development Agency. This legislation also provides for the establishment of regional chambers, which are made up of members from local authorities within the region as well as from a wide selection of regional stakeholders from other sectors to co-ordinate transport, planning, economic development, bids for European funding and land use planning. The RDAs and the regional offices of central government will work with the regional chambers.
All policies are made by central government and implemented via Government Agencies such as Jobcentre Plus who report to The Department of Work and Pensions. As described above economic development is organised through Regional Development Agencies such as SEEDA who are responsible to the Department for Trade and Industry. Regional Government Offices such as the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) represent central government in the region with a remit to promote better and more effective integration of Government policies and programmes at a regional and local level.
