Council of the Nations and Regions

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock Excerpts

Wednesday 27th November 2024 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

To ask His Majesty’s Government how they intend to report to Parliament on the work of the Council of the Nations and Regions.

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The inaugural Council of the Nations and Regions met on 11 October in Edinburgh to discuss growth and investment. On 17 October, the UK Government published the terms of reference for the council and a communiqué summarising the discussion. A communiqué will be published following each meeting of the council.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

I thank the Minister for that excellent Answer. However, does she agree that while the council has got off to an excellent start bringing the nations and regions of the United Kingdom together, it is a pity that large areas of England were not represented. What are the Government going to do to make sure that they are represented at future meetings of the council?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The Deputy Prime Minister chaired the first leaders’ council on 24 October, where she vowed to forge a new relationship based on honesty and respect between central and local government, helping drive economic growth and improving lives. The leaders’ council brought together Ministers and local leaders to tackle shared problems. The Deputy Prime Minister has also written to all areas with a devolution deal to invite them to come forward with a proposal. New mayors established through this deal will be eligible to attend the Council of the Nations and Regions.