Council of Nations and Regions

Baroness Finn Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Cluny (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for her question. As the Secretary of State for Scotland said last Friday:

“The vast majority of Scots want their two governments to work together to increase living standards and improve public services”.


From being based in Scotland, as this House is aware that I am, I can see this at first hand. I am told at official level, at the political level and from what I read in the newspapers that there is a consensus that inter- governmental relations have been vastly improved since the election of this Labour Government.

[Baroness Finn (Con)]

My Lords, the Council of the Nations and Regions brings another apparatus into the rather crowded field of devolved government. Can the Minister outline the process for resolving disagreements between devolved Administrations, the council and the UK Government, if, indeed, one exists?

[Baroness Smith of Cluny (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for her question. It goes to the heart of any intergovernmental structure: the structures only work if the participants can find agreement and work co-operatively. The first meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions was nothing but a success. There was agreement on how it should meet, a communiqué was produced following the meeting and it will meet again six months after its first meeting. It is also clear from the wider landscape of the relationships between the two Governments that it is adding to the picture of good working relationships.