NORTH-west voters will soon be given a chance to vote on regional government, it is claimed.

The North-west Regional Assembly has been encouraged by reported remarks by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott that the North-west and the North-east will be in the first wave of regions selected to vote on whether they want their own regional government.

A "yes" vote would lead to a directly-elected Assembly which would be working within two years, it is suggested.

The existing assembly, which represents various political, business and social interests, expects the Queen's Speech on November 13 to contain an Enabling Bill following on from the Regional Government White Paper "Your Region -- Your Choice" published in May. Bury councillor Derek Boden, who is the Leader of the North-west Regional Assembly, said today: "The opportunity to make our case to people in the region at the same time as the North-east will give us a fighting chance of winning the race for inward investment -- essential to us developing a vibrant and modern economy in the North-west.

"I am convinced that people in the North-west will want more decisions about jobs and the economy to be made in this region, and not in Whitehall.

He added: "We have a strong regional identity and I am sure that people in the region will want to look to the future and choose a more democratic and accountable way of running our own affairs."