Prime Minister: Meetings with First Ministers of the Devolved Governments

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb Excerpts

Monday 10th January 2022 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)]

I can only repeat that devolution for Scotland has, of course, been rolled out in the same way as devolution for Northern Ireland and Wales. We believe that it works well, but, as I said earlier, we continue to monitor it and to make sure that the effective co-operation and links between the four nations continue as they are.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

My Lords—

[Lord West of Spithead (Lab)]

My Lords, I invited the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes—oh, I see that the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, wants to speak. You are unaffiliated, are you not, so I shall let you go.

[Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP)]

Thank you so much. What a gallant gentleman.

I am quite curious about the dynamics of these meetings, and I wonder whether Westminster goes in with any sort of listening attitude. The Scottish Government are now much greener than the Westminster Government, and I suggest that Westminster could learn a lot.

[Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con)]

I am sure that the new Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, my right honourable friend Michael Gove, will have taken this on board. He, of course, is the one tasked with taking forward the main links with the four devolved Governments. As the noble Baroness will be aware, that has been set up recently—and he is very much up and running.