David Cameron sets up new growth committee

David Cameron has set up a new Cabinet committee with the job of making sure that Government initiatives to boost growth have a real impact on the ground.

The Growth Implementation Committee, chaired by Chancellor George Osborne, will meet monthly to drive forward measures to cut red tape, streamline planning rules and get big infrastructure projects moving, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman dismissed suggestions that the creation of the committee, which will meet monthly, reflected a sense of panic within Government that its efforts to promote growth had failed to lift the UK out of double-dip recession.

In a newspaper article at the weekend, Mr Cameron admitted he was frustrated by the "dither" that got in the way of translating Government decisions into actual change in the environment within which businesses operate in the UK.

The spokesman told reporters at a regularly Westminster briefing: "This is building on what we have already been doing."

He added: "This is different to other Cabinet committees in that it is not a forum in which policy will be agreed, it is a forum which will be focused on implementation and driving implementation.

"The Cabinet has had a number of sessions where they have looked at the growth agenda and chased progress on issues such as deregulation and planning. It will continue to do this.

"This committee will meet on a monthly basis and do that chasing of progress and ensure that the implementation is happening in the way it should be."

Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable will be Mr Osborne's deputy chair on the new GIC, which will be a sub-committee of the powerful Economic Affairs Cabinet Committee.

Also on the committee will be Liberal Democrat ministers Danny Alexander and David Laws, Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin and former chancellor Kenneth Clarke, in his new wide-ranging advisory role within Government.

Former Olympics chief Paul Deighton, who was yesterday appointed to the Government as minister for infrastructure and economic delivery, will also take part, and ministers with responsibility for key growth issues like housing and deregulation are likely to attend.

PA