JOHN Prescott took a Great North Vote roadshow through the North-East and North Yorkshire this week in an attempt to flag up interest in regional government.

Next October the three Northern regions - the North-East, Yorkshire and Humberside, and the North-West - will hold referenda on whether they want their own mini-parliament.

It was seen as significant that Durham City, already a contender to be home to any North-East assembly, was chosen to host the event.

The Deputy Prime Minister was launching the Government's Your Say campaign designed to inform people about what an assembly might mean for them.

Martin Callanan, Conservative North-East MEP, said it was simply a propaganda exercise which would cost the taxpayer £2m. But Mr Prescott said: "If you call information propaganda, I have to live with that."

If the regions agree to assemblies, they will have an annual budget of £350m and could influence how a further £600m is spent.

Mr Prescott said: "It's the civil servants who make the decisions at the moment. This whole campaign is called Your Say. At the end of the day people in the North will decide. I can't make the decision."

There is a Your Say leaflet which summarises the powers a regional assembly would have.

Development agency One North-East would be directly accountable to the assembly over business and jobs.

The assembly would be responsible for new regional fire authorities, play an important role in promoting the health of people and tourism and develop a strategy for culture and sport. It will plan where to build new housing and co-ordinate the development and use of land to attract more businesses and jobs, to protect the countryside and to regenerate rundown areas.

An assembly would have 25 members elected by proportional representation to include all political opinions.

* Mr Prescott also visited York this week. He launched a campaign to raise awareness and spark debate about an elected regional assembly for Yorkshire and Humber.

But the Government campaign has no substantial support from people within the region, says one of the region's MEPs.

Timothy Kirkhope (Conservative, Yorkshire and Humber) said: "John Prescott is proposing a costly talking shop with few actual powers, which would be a drain on taxpayers in Yorkshire and the Humber.

"I have spoken to many people in the region and can say that from my inquiries I have found this to be a proposal with no substantial support."