Devolved Authorities: Expenditure outwith Competences Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Devolved Authorities: Expenditure outwith Competences

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Excerpts
Monday 5th February 2024

(9 months, 3 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Neville-Rolfe Portrait Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con)
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I agree that we need to consider the presence of Scottish Government offices in UK Government posts, but there is a case for having individual officials knowledgeable about Scotland engaged on issues such as fishing, where there is an important Scottish interest. I have seen that working well, so there is a balance here—but I agree with the general direction of the noble Lord’s comment.

Baroness Chapman of Darlington Portrait Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
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My Lords, further to the question asked by my noble friend Lady Ritchie, we very much welcome the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland. But in the letter to the Prime Minister ahead of their meeting today, Northern Ireland Ministers wrote that they want

“immediate and durable changes to our funding arrangements”.

How do the Government interpret that, and what is their response?