THE Prime Minister has thrown his backing behind the Yes campaign in the regional assembly debate, saying devolution would allow the region to target problems and tailor the solutions.

Mr Blair was being questioned last night about anti-social behaviour and opther issues in front of 120 people, who deal with the problems daily, at the Spitfire Pub, in Trenchard Avenue, Thornaby, near Stockton.

He used the success of Scotland, Wales and London as examples of local decision-making benefiting the community.

He said: "Where there has been devolution, people have found decisions can be taken closer to the local people, and we also find you can streamline the council system underneath a regional assembly.

"I will vote for it."

He said that despite what some people said, taking decisions closer to home could have a positive impact on the community.

Among the invited audience were community wardens, local councillors, police, officials from the Criminal Prosecution Service, headteachers and members of residents' associations.

The problem of crime was also at the heart of the elected assembly debate yesterday when the Yes and No camps clashed over the potential power to fight crime.

Former Middlesbrough detective Ray Mallon, who brought zero-tolerance policing to the town, defended the Yes campaign's pledge to cut crime and disorder throughout the region.

The Mayor of Middlesbrough accused the No campaigners of being disingenuous in dismissing the claim.

He vowed to campaign night and day to ensure the region delivers a Yes vote on November 4.

He said: "Tackling crime and disorder has got nothing to do with controlling the police, it's about working together and coming up with a policy to reduce crime.

"I speak crime reduction and no one speaks it as well as I do."

The Yes campaign believes fighting crime and disorder would be a major role of the assembly and a crucial step to regenerating the region.

Bob Coxon, chairman of the Centre for Process Innovation on Teesside and chairman of the Chemical Leadership Council in the North-East, said: "Investors do not want to see their new developments destroyed by crime.

"They want their property, their staff and customers to be safe, and they will invest in the areas that best guarantee that."

However, the No campaign criticised claims that the elected regional assembly would be able to cut crime and disorder.

John Elliott, chairman of Ebac Limited and chairman of North-East Says No, said: "What planet are these people on? The policy statement makes it clear that the assembly would have absolutely no powers on law and order -it would just have the right to be consulted, so the Yes campaign are factually wrong.

"Everyone that looks at the (Government's) policy statement can see it for themselves.

"The Yes campaign is so desperate now that it is just starting to argue that black is white. What the people of the North-East really want is more police officers on the street so that people are safer and crime goes down."