Meanwhile, the five Labour members due to be nominated to the North West committee today do not include anyone from Merseyside, although one is Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire).

It was not clear whether the Labour whips declined to pick any Merseyside MP – or whether those MPs expressed no interest in the role.

Regional select committees are intended to plug a worrying “democratic deficit” following the collapse of plans for elected assemblies.

Most concern centres on the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), which have growing powers over economic development, housing, planning and the environment.

But the idea is other quangos, including Health Authorities, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), the Highways Agency (HA), plus arts and sports councils, would also be investigated.

In a radical departure, most meetings would be held in the relevant region, rather than at Westminster, to allow the public to attend easily.

But Alan Duncan, the Shadow Commons Leader, said: “People have overwhelmingly rejected strengthening regional government – so it’s a complete waste of time to start scrutinising an apparatus that has already collapsed.”