Devolved Administrations: Intergovernmental Relations Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Devolved Administrations: Intergovernmental Relations

Lord Woodley Excerpts
Tuesday 8th November 2022

(1 year, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Scott of Bybrook Portrait Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I thank the noble Lord. I cannot give the dates for what happened but it is possible, at any time, to go on to the government website and see what those meetings were about. However, I can tell the noble Lord that if those are the issues which the devolved Governments want to speak to the Prime Minister about, I am sure he will be listening at this coming meeting.

Lord Woodley Portrait Lord Woodley (Lab)
- Hansard - -

My Lords—

Earl of Kinnoull Portrait The Earl of Kinnoull (CB)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Lords, I do not think the Cross Bench has had a go yet. The first inter- governmental relations quarterly report came from the Cabinet Office. The latest one comes from the Department for Levelling Up. Can the Minister explain why that has moved and explain how the machinery of government works so that if a ministry is found not to be pulling its weight in this important aspect, it is encouraged to do so?

Baroness Scott of Bybrook Portrait Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The area of inter- governmental relations was with the Department for Levelling Up prior to the last reshuffle. It then went to the Cabinet Office and it is now back with the Department for Levelling Up. That is the place—the communities area—where it should be.

Lord Woodley Portrait Lord Woodley (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

My Lords, I hope the Minister appreciates that the people of Liverpool can feel as alienated from the UK Government as those in Wales and Scotland. Does the Minister accept that Liverpool and other regions should be represented in these discussions, alongside the devolved Administrations?

Baroness Scott of Bybrook Portrait Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I do not agree with that. There is a completely separate area of discussion with the devolved Administrations and another, which I think is important, with the rest of local government and the regions of the whole of the United Kingdom. Those two separate things go alongside each other and work well.