Rt Hon MP

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 70 Whitehall London SW1A 2AS

William Wragg MP Our reference: MC2021/00377 ​ Chair, Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee House of Commons SW1A 0AA

Simon Hoare MP Chair, Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Stephen Crabb MP Chair, Welsh Affairs Committee

Pete Wishart MP Chair, Scottish Affairs Committee

18 January 2021 ​

Dear Chairs,

Thank you for your letter of 8 January regarding publication of the Dunlop Review. ​

I welcome the opportunity to appear before your joint committees, and I am keen to provide as full a response as possible on how we have been implementing the recommendations made by Lord Dunlop. As you are aware, it is my ambition to publish the Dunlop Report alongside announcing the package of reforms agreed through the joint review of Intergovernmental Relations.

Unfortunately, I am unable to commit to your proposed timeline while the review of Intergovernmental Relations is at a pivotal point with the devolved administrations. We will publish the Dunlop Review in due course and ensure your committees have the appropriate time to consider before the joint session.

With every good wish,

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Scottish Affairs Committee Welsh Affairs Committee

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office

8 January 2021

Dear Michael,

Lord Dunlop’s Review of Union Capability and the Review of Intergovernmental Relations

Thank you for your update on 23 December notifying us that both Lord Dunlop’s Review and the conclusions of the review of intergovernmental relations (IGR) would not be published until early 2021.

As you know, our Committees have been awaiting the publication of Lord Dunlop’s Review and the Government’s response to it for some time. It was therefore disappointing to learn that, contrary to earlier commitments, these would not be published before the end of 2020.

Before the Christmas recess, our Committees agreed to hold a joint evidence session on the Government’s implementation of Lord Dunlop’s Review and we are pleased that you confirmed to PACAC on 10 December that you would be willing to appear before our Committees to provide evidence on this important area of public interest.

Prior to receiving your letter of 23 December, we had identified 28 January 2021 as the date for this joint evidence session. In order for this session to go ahead as planned, our Members will require both Lord Dunlop’s Review and the Government’s response to be made public by 14 January. We would be grateful if you could confirm that the Government will be publishing the Review and the response within this timeframe. If you are unable to do so, we ask that you set out a clear alternative timeframe for publication so that we can arrange our scrutiny accordingly.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

William Wragg MP MP Chair, Public Administration and Chair, Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Constitutional Affairs Committee

Pete Wishart MP Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP Chair, Scottish Affairs Committee Chair, Welsh Affairs Committee

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Cabinet Office 70 Whitehall London SW1A 2AS

Pete Wishart MP Chair, Scottish Affairs Committee House of Commons SW1A 0AA

23 December 2020 ​

Dear Pete,

Update on Lord Dunlop’s review of Union Capability

As you know, I have been eager to publish Lord Dunlop’s review of Union Capability, alongside the successful conclusion of the review of intergovernmental relations (IGR) at the earliest possible opportunity.

I am pleased by the progress the UK Government and devolved administrations have made in developing a package of reforms for IGR. We are closer to agreeing a conclusion to that review, but it has not been possible to finalise all arrangements before the end of this year. I am therefore writing to inform you that the Dunlop Report will now be published early in the New Year.

The report is an important contribution to the debate on the future of the UK and it is therefore equally important the report can be considered publicly alongside a full response from the Government.

As discussed during my appearance before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 10 December, I would be happy to appear before your Committee to discuss the implementation of the Dunlop Review in the New Year.

With every good wish,

Rt Hon Michael Gove MP Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office