§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many draft concordats his Department is currently preparing; who they are intended to be with; and what are the issues and matters covered by them. [33838]
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§ Mr. DewarOfficials in my Department are currently considering the areas in which concordats may be required between the Scottish Executive and Departments of the UK Government. It is too early to say how many such agreements, which cannot be made until the Scottish Executive is established, might be required. The guidance which I placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament on 27 February 1998 made clear that the range and subject matter of each concordat would depend upon the needs of the business area. The aim will be to ensure that the business of government in Scotland and at the United Kingdom level is conducted smoothly, by setting the ground rules for administrative co-operation, consultation and exchange of information. The guidance also indicated that all concordats should be published unless publication would cause substantial harm on one of the clearly defined grounds set out in the White Paper "Your Right to Know: Freedom of Information" (Cm.3818).