SUPPORTERS of home rule for the North-East are demanding to know when a long-awaited White Paper on regional devolution will be published.

Members of the North-East Assembly say the region's hopes of self-governance by 2005 are slipping because the Government has yet to publish the document.

Ministers have warned that any delay in publication could reduce the likelihood of it being included in the Queen's Speech in November, leading to delays in it becoming law.

It was hoped the paper would be published by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott last autumn, and then early this year, but the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) cannot confirm whether it will be ready by March.

Speaking at Darlington Arts Centre, regional assembly vice-chairman, Councillor Bob Gibson, said the process was slipping badly.

"The main issue is getting this White Paper out and pressuring the government to make sure they are working on that and they are not just kidding us along," said Coun Gibson, leader of Stockton Borough Council. "Then you can have a look at what the proposals are and if they are what we want.

"We have been told it is on its way. It is not. It is continually slipping. We have to say to national government this has gone on long enough. When is this paper coming out?"

The Government's discussion document is expected to consider the powers, responsibility and functions of any new regional bodies.

The assembly has estimated that if the paper is published by February, it could make the Queen's Speech in November. Legislation could be in place in time for a referendum in 2004 and regional government in 2005.

The North-East is in a strong position to become one of the first devolved regions.

Research conducted by Newcastle University suggested that the North-East would be far more economically successful if it had more power in its hands.

A spokeswoman for the DTLR said yesterday: "We are determined to get it right and it will be published when it is ready."