Our Economy will broadcast on BBC One at 2305 on Monday 19 March 2012.
At a time when our audience is hungry to understand how the economy will affect their lives, the week of the budget is an ideal moment to put local economic developments under the spotlight and hold those in charge to account.
In September 2010, in the lead up to the Comprehensive Spending Review, BBC regional television debated exclusive research into the economic resilience of areas across England.
This year, with growth a key topic for debate, we have commissioned research which gives us some surprising insights into where the biggest potential for growth is across England. The findings of the research, conducted by Experian, will be available from Monday 19th March.
The research helps inform the debate around how healthy our economies are, nationally and locally. The data is worked out at local authority level so can provide very localised, regionalised data, and provides the audience with great local knowledge about an area's economic experience.
Of course, underneath the data are real stories about how the economic facts impact on real people. So, from the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, to the factory floor of Bradford's biggest employer, to Bristol's Cathedral School, we'll be hearing from those people most affected, and holding politicians and business leaders to account. MPs, Dragon's Den winners, Apprentice candidates, bankers, public sector workers, and dozens of other interested and informed guests will join in twelve debates across England.
In each area, of course, the issues under discussion will be very different. How reliant is the area on public sector employment? What type of industry/employment prospects are there in the area? What's the jobless picture? How quickly and where can growth be found?
The picture varies wherever you live and a crack team of presenters will be making sure those questions are put to the people who make the key decisions. The Today Programme's Evan Davis, Panorama's Richard Bilton and Radio 5 Live's Victoria Derbyshire are amongst the presenters keeping everyone on their toes.
You put together the local stories and a national picture emerges, and we're delighted that our colleagues from network news will be joining us on Monday 19th in reporting the story of growth across the UK. Chief Economics Correspondent Hugh Pym will be leading the coverage on the main national news bulletins, with Breakfast News and the News Channel live throughout the country, bringing local stories to a national audience.
Local radio, BBC news online and our local websites will also be highlighting and exploring the issues throughout the day.
So, do join us for 'Our Economy: The Debates' on BBC One, Monday March 19 at 2305, and on the BBC iplayer from the following day.
The programmes from across the English regions are as follows.
London
Our Economy: The BBC London Debate
Presented by: Evan Davis
From: Museum of London
Guests include: Nicola Horlick, Financier
West
Our Economy: The Points West Debate
Presented by: David Garmston
From: Bristol Cathedral School
Guests include: Sir David McMurty; Trunki's Rob Law
South West
Our Economy: The Spotlight Debate
Presented by: Justin Leigh
From: Plymouth
Guests include: Mark Jenkins
North West
Our Economy: The North West Tonight Debate
Presented by: Ranvir Singh
From: The Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester
Guests include: Kirsty Henshaw (Dragons Den winner), Hazel Blears MP
East Midlands
Our Economy: The East Midlands Today Debate
Presented by: Marie Ashby
From: Vision West Notts College
Guests include: Prof Martin Binks from the University of Nottingham Business School, George Cowcher Chief Executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chambers of Commerce, Asha Khemka the college principal, Andy Belfield, Unison, East Midlands
West Midlands
Our Economy: The Midlands Today Debate
Presented by: Mary Rhodes
Guests include: Lord Digby Jones; Shadow Work & Pensions Secretary, Liam Byrne MP, Kate Walsh (finalist BBC One's The Apprentice Series 5)
Location: University of Birmingham
Yorkshire
Our Economy: The Look North Debate
Presented by: Panorama's Richard Bilton
From: The factory floor of one of Bradford's biggest employers - BorgWarner
Guests include: Caroline Flint MP, Julian Smith MP, Martyn Kendrick (Lloyds TSB).
North East and Cumbria
Our Economy: The BBC Look North Debate
Presented by Victoria Derbyshire
South East
Our Economy: The South East Today Debate
Presented by: Natalie Graham
From: Brighton's Jubilee Library
Guests include: Caroline Lucas MP; Michael Fallon MP; Ex-Apprentice star Katie Hopkins; multi-millionaire businessman Mike Holland
East Our Economy: The Look East Debate Presented by: Amelia Reynolds
East Yorks and Lincs
Our Economy - The Look North Debate
Presented by Tim Iredale
From University of Lincoln Business and Law Faculty
South
Our Economy: The South Today Debate
Presented by: Sally Taylor
From Basingstoke at the UK HQ of Linde
David Holdsworth is Controller, English Regions