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He also demanded the creation of a permanent, independent rail accident investigation branch at the DETR.
BBC: Rail inquiry report due on Friday
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Meanwhile the Liberal Democrat's Don Foster insisted that Mr Byers "did mislead Parliament" and had failed in his job at the DETR.
BBC: Sixsmith: Byers 'tore up' agreement
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"He made clear the Detr will not change its policy, whatever the findings of the Competition Commission in respect of planning, " the report said.
BBC: Keep supermarkets off the greenbelt - MPs
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But in the reorganisation which followed the departure of Stephen Byers in 2002, Mr Prescott became head of the first formal Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - and regained the local and regional governmental responsibilities he had held at the DETR.
BBC: John Prescott