Lords to question officials on the future of the Union

The committee will question former senior government officials about the key challenges for the future governance of the UK, including any lessons learned from Brexit and COVID-19 and changes to intergovernmental relations.

The session will take place virtually on Wednesday 16 June at 10.15am and can be followed on Parliament TV.

Giving evidence will be:

• Philip Rycroft, former Head of UK Governance Group in the Cabinet Office
• Ciaran Martin, former Constitution Director in the Cabinet Office

Questions the committee is likely to ask include:

• What are the key challenges for the future governance of the UK, and how should the UK Government address these challenges?
• How important is the law in protecting and maintaining the Union? What would be the implications of maintaining the Union by force of law alone?
• What have the last five years (encompassing Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic) taught us about the workings of devolution across the UK?
• Can greater devolution strengthen the Union?
• Does there need to be distinct voice for England within the UK’s constitutional arrangements? If so, what is the best way of achieving this?
• Does the legislative consent process need to be strengthened or reformed?

The inquiry, launched earlier this year, is focusing on how power can best be shared within the multi-national UK to address post-Brexit and COVID-19 challenges and establish more effective governance for the UK in the 21st century.