Lords to hear from Scottish Government, Committee chairs and officials on inter-governmental relations
The House of Lords Constitution Committee will this week take evidence from the chairs of committees in the House of Commons and Scottish Parliament, Fiona Hyslop MSP, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs and UK Government officials, as part of its inquiry on inter-governmental relations in the UK.
The Committee will take evidence in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords over three sessions from 10:30am on Wednesday 28 January. Giving evidence will be:
10:30am
- Ian Davidson MP, Chairman, House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee
- Laurence Robertson MP, Chairman, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
- Bruce Crawford MSP, Convenor, Scottish Parliament Devolution (Further Powers) Committee
11:20am
- Fiona Hyslop MSP, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs (via video link)
11:45am
- Graham Pendlebury, Director for Local Transport, Department for Transport
- John Robbs, Director for Marine and Fisheries, DEFRA
- Lindsey Whyte, Deputy Director with responsibility for devolution, HM Treasury
In the first session the Committee will focus on how the House of Commons and devolved legislatures scrutinise intergovernmental relations in the UK, and how that scrutiny might be improved. They will discuss whether there should be a single Whitehall department responsible for devolution to replace the three current territorial offices. They will also ask whether committees of the UK's parliaments and assemblies could work more closely together in areas of common interest.
In the second session the Committee will question Ms Hyslop about the Scottish Government's experience of inter-governmental relations. Questions will explore the advantages and disadvantages of putting inter-governmental relations on a statutory basis, whether the Joint Ministerial Committee is a useful forum and how it might be improved, and what changes might be needed following the devolution of powers proposed by the Smith Commission.
In the final session the witnesses will be questioned on their departments' experience of working with the devolved administrations. The Committee will also explore how the devolved administrations are involved in policy development.
The session will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.
