Council of Nations and Regions

Earl of Kinnoull Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Cluny (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his question. The purpose of the council is to deal with cross-cutting issues and strategic questions. For example, growth was on the agenda at the first meeting and some substantial actions came out of that—tangible outcomes that can be pointed to. The next issue, which will be tackled in the spring, will be of a similar nature. It is not in the nature of such discussions that a White Paper would assist the overall landscape. It is about relationships, tackling the big issues and delivering for the people.

[The Earl of Kinnoull (CB)]

My Lords, the inter- governmental relations review, which reported in January 2022, so just over three years ago, introduced a structure of quarterly and annual reports on the state of inter- governmental relations. As the council is additional to the existing structures, and as those reports initially came from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities—and have now transferred back to the Cabinet Office—can the Minister update us on when the next report will come out and whether the reporting system is still in place?

[Baroness Smith of Cluny (Lab)]

I thank the noble Earl for his question. I do not have that information to hand, but I will be very happy to write with it in due course.