A committee of MPs has gathered outside London at one of series of regional meetings.
The North East regional grand committee met at the Town Hall in Middlesbrough on Friday morning.
MPs questioned chief whip Nick Brown, who is also minister for the North East, about pensioner poverty in the region.
He also answered questions about regional development policy and negotiations with ministers from the Scottish Government about development of the A1 between Newcastle and the east of Scotland.
They then held a debate about tackling the recession and improving the regional economy.
English regional grand committees function in a similar way to the Commons chamber, with ministerial statements and an opportunity to question the designated regional minister.
Every MP representing a constituency in the region is entitled to attend regional grand committee meetings.
The decision to have a series of regional meetings has proved controversial with some backbench MPs.
In June, a motion proposing that the East Midlands regional grand committee meet in Nottingham on September 9 was defeated by 104 votes to 98.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd