Holyrood to welcome Lords Constitution Committee

The Lords Constitution Committee will then hold a formal evidence session with public policy experts.

Giving evidence will be:

• Professor James Mitchell, professor of public policy, University of Edinburgh
• Professor Jim Gallagher, visiting professor, University of Glasgow

Questions the committee is likely to ask the witnesses include:

• How would you characterise the UK Government's approach to managing the Union?
• Once finalised will the proposed reforms to intergovernmental structures help build trust and cooperation between the UK Government and the devolved administrations?
• Has the Internal Market Act led to the recentralisation of power to London since Brexit?
• Would explicit recognition of England’s place within the Union, or not doing so, create any risks to the future of the UK?
• Are more significant reforms to the UK’s territorial constitution desirable to manage relations between London and the nations and regions?

Baroness Taylor, Chair of the House of Lords Constitution Committee said:

“My committee and I look forward to visiting Edinburgh to have productive discussions with our colleagues in Holyrood about the future of intergovernmental and interparliamentary relations. Hearing from our Scottish counterparts is indispensable to our inquiry into the future governance of the United Kingdom. We hope that our legislatures can continue working together to improve relations and address shared challenges.”

Clare Adamson MSP, Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee said:

“We are delighted to welcome the House of Lords Constitution Committee to the Scottish Parliament.
“As a committee know how important it is to work effectively with other legislatures across the UK, so we look forward to productive talks.”
A transcript of the formal evidence session will be published on the House of Lords Constitution Committee’s website in the week commencing 1 November.