Labour wants documents on Teesworks decision to be made public
LABOUR is to bring a vote for the release of documents explaining “the National Audit Office’s exclusion” in the Teesworks inquiry.
The party wants the government to make public all correspondence relating to the decision, which was announced by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove last month.
Mr Gove stated he would be selecting a panel for the government’s own “independent review” despite the NAO saying it was “willing and able” to carry out that probe.
This sparked fury from Labour MPs, who demanded an inquiry by the NAO rather than a panel “handpicked” by government ministers. Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald said the review could “never be viewed as independent” due to it being “set up by a Conservative Minister to look into the way a Conservative Mayor conducts his business”.
Concerns about the scheme were previously raised by Mr McDonald, who alleged “truly shocking, industrial-scale corruption” in the Commons.
While the NAO initially said a probe was out of its remit for Teesworks, it was later revealed this would be possible if requested by a government minister.
Lisa Nandy MP, Labour’s shadow Levelling Up Secretary, said: “The steelworks are part of the civic inheritance for people on Teesside, and those people deserve answers. There was crossparty support, including from the Conservative Mayor, for an NAO investigation into the serious allegations of misuse of hundreds of millions of pounds of public money and assets.
“But for some reason, ministers
Lisa Nandy, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up
– who are responsible for the flawed system of accountability that has partly led to this situation – have chosen to set up a review where they will hand-pick the panel and terms.
“Today, MPs can vote with Labour to shed light on why they made this baffling decision, or they can opt to continue to deny answers to people on Teesside.”
An NAO spokesperson said: “In discussions with government officials in May 2023, the NAO indicated that it was willing and able to carry out an examination of the South Tees Development Corporation and the redevelopment of Teesside Steelworks, if the necessary statutory agreement was in place.
The government has decided to make alternative arrangements looking into these matters, as is its prerogative.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We have not seen evidence of corruption, wrongdoing, or illegality in relation to Teesworks, but these allegations are risking delivery of much needed jobs and economic growth in Teesside.
“The Government is appointing an independent panel to establish the facts, in line with usual practice for reviewing local government. It is not the NAO’s role to audit or examine individual local government bodies and it is not appropriate to so significantly expand the role of the NAO by asking them to lead any review.”
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I welcome the Government agreeing to my request for an independent review into the Teesworks project, including the involvement of the NAO.
“As someone whose primary responsibility, as Mayor of the Tees Valley, is to attract investment and create jobs for local people, I felt that the recent misinformation spread by the Labour Party and the abuse of Parliamentary Privilege by Andy McDonald was starting to have a negative impact on the prospects of Teesside and the local community.
“I feel that an independent review is necessary to show investors, businesses and local people that there is no corruption, wrongdoing or illegality in what has become and continues to be an incredible project for jobs and investment in our region.
“I look forward to the outcome, in due course, and will be making no further comment until the independent review has been completed, so to allow the independent body to carry out their work without influence or favour.”