Proposals to devolve further powers away from Whitehall to cities and regions across the UK should not follow a "fixed blueprint", Nick Clegg has insisted.

The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged some areas may want to go "further and faster" as he backed more decentralisation and devolution in the country in the five years of the next parliament.

The Liberal Democrat leader made the remarks after reiterating his desire for a Cornish assembly to control housing, healthcare and transport powers - should the people of Cornwall want the changes.

MPs heard £60.2 million has already been devolved to Cornwall.

Speaking during the final session of questions to the Deputy Prime Minister, Lib Dem Andrew George (St Ives) told Mr Clegg: "I hope you don't think I am damaging you with faint praise when I say that you are the best party leader by far, and therefore you will recognise that Cornwall will benefit a great deal from the proposed devolution enabling act.

"But would you agree that under these proposals that Cornwall and places like it could redesign their planning and housing system to put local need above speculators' greed and the growth of second homes?"

Mr Clegg replied: "I think, as you quite rightly suggest, what we should do in the next parliament is push ahead with devolution, decentralisation across the United Kingdom but not do so to a fixed blueprint.

"Some areas may want to go further and faster than others.

"If in Cornwall it is felt that a Cornish assembly borne out of the existing county council - not inventing yet another talking shop for politicians, it could cut the number of politicians if it wished to - if it wanted to have powers in the planning areas you suggest, that is something I hope we would empower the future Cornish assembly to do."