§ Baroness Thorntonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What guidance has been prepared for officials on dealings with the devolved administrations. [HL695]
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg)The Memorandum of Understanding (published as Cm 4444) and supporting concordats provide the basis for relationships between Her Majesty's Government and the Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales. A number of guidance notes have also been prepared on more detailed aspects of those relationships, covering:
- Common working arrangements
- Correspondence
- Role of Secretary of State for Scotland
- Role of Secretary of State for Wales
- Inter-ministerial and inter-departmental correspondence
- Post-devolution primary legislation affecting Scotland
These documents have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the texts are available on the Cabinet Office internet web site (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/constitution/2000/devolution).
The note on common working arrangements has been agreed between the Government, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales. The Northern Ireland Executive Committee will be invited to consider its terms once it has agreed to become a party to the Memorandum of Understanding.
The other guidance notes are UK government documents; but the devolved administrations have seen the notes in draft form and have noted their terms.
Further guidance notes will be issued in due course. A list of these currently under preparation has also been lodged in the House Libraries.