Lords Committee launches inquiry on post-Brexit governance in the UK
Friday 19 March 2021
The House of Lords Constitution Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, has today launched its inquiry into the future governance of the United Kingdom.
The inquiry will focus 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.
The Committee invites interested organisations and individuals to submit written evidence to the inquiry by 30 April 2021. Oral evidence sessions will be held from May 2021.
Topics the Committee is seeking written evidence on include:
- Is the current balance of powers within the UK correct or does power need to be shared differently?
- What are the current challenges for multi-level governance in the UK and how can these be addressed?
- Should there be a greater degree of devolution within England and, if so, how should these arrangements relate to the UK as a whole?
- How well understood is the UK’s common purpose and what impact does this have on democratic accountability?
- How effective are the current funding arrangements for the UK?
Baroness Taylor, Chair of the Constitution Committee, said:
“The United Kingdom as currently constituted marks its centenary in 2021. It is also under strain. Both Brexit and the differences in the public health response to the Covid-19 pandemic between the UK Government, the devolved administrations and English local government have highlighted long-standing tensions in inter-governmental relations.
“The Committee’s new inquiry will therefore consider how power can best be shared within the UK to establish stable and effective governance arrangements for the 21st century, particularly in response to Brexit and Covid-19.
“We strongly encourage a wide range of individuals, sectors and groups to share their views on these crucial issues to help inform the Committee’s inquiry.”
