HC Deb 15 November 2000 vol 356 c688W
16. Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on actions he has taken since the publication of the BSE Inquiry report of Lord Phillips on the relationship between civil servants of the National Assembly and those in Whitehall Departments. [136877]

Mr. Paul Murphy

The situation is now different from that on which Lord Phillips' Inquiry reported, in that relationships between civil servants of the National Assembly for Wales and those in Whitehall Departments are governed by the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations supported by a series of Devolution Guidance Notes (DGN). DGN 1 deals with working arrangements between officials. An important part of my role is to ensure that these arrangements work smoothly.

I have, however, looked carefully at the report to ensure that current arrangements are compatible with the Inquiry's findings.