SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION Inter-governmental relations in the UK Oral and written evidence Contents Professor Derek Birrell, University of Ulster—Written evidence (IGR0013) ............................. 3 Dr Andrew Blick, Institute of Contemporary British History, King’s College London— Written evidence (IGR0006) .................................................................................................................... 9 Rt Hon. Alistair Carmichael MP, Secretary of State for Scotland; and Rt Hon. Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Advocate-General For Scotland—Oral evidence (QQ 76-86) ......................... 11 Mr Bruce Crawford MSP, Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, Scottish Parliament; Mr Ian Davidson MP, House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee; and Mr Laurence Robertson MP, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee—Oral evidence (QQ 55-63) ............................................................................................................................................... 26 Mr Ian Davidson MP, House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee; Mr Laurence Robertson MP, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee; and Mr Bruce Crawford MSP, Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, Scottish Parliament—Oral evidence (QQ 55-63) .............................................................................................................................. 27 Mr David Davies MP, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee; and Mr David Melding AM, Welsh Assembly Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee and of the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister (QQ 32-42) ..................................................... 39 Lord Empey—Written evidence (IGR0012) ...................................................................................... 52 Professor Jim D Gallagher, Nuffield College, University of Oxford—Written evidence (IGR0007) .................................................................................................................................................. 54 Ms Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Scottish Government—Oral evidence (QQ 64-66) ........................................................................................ 57 The Scottish Government—Written evidence (IGR0015) ............................................................ 61 Institute for Government—Written evidence (IGR0011) ............................................................. 67 Rt Hon. Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales; and Dr Hugh Rawlings, Director, Constitutional Affairs—Oral evidence (QQ 43-54) ........................................................................ 72 Professor Michael Keating, University of Aberdeen—Written evidence (IGR0003) ............... 82 Mr Christopher Luke—Written evidence (IGR0005) ..................................................................... 84 Ms Helen MacNamara, Director of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat, and Dr Philip Rycroft, Director General, Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Office—Oral evidence (QQ 17-31) .............................................................................................................................. 89 Professor Nicola McEwen, University of Edinburgh; and Professor Alan Page, University of Dundee—Oral Evidence (QQ 8-16) ................................................................................................... 90 Professor Nicola McEwen, University of Edinburgh—Supplementary Written evidence (IGR0010) ................................................................................................................................................ 102 Mr David Melding AM, Welsh Assembly Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee and of the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister; and Mr David Davies MP, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee (QQ 32-42) ................................................................... 107 Professor Alan Page, University of Dundee—Written evidence (IGR0002) ............................ 108 Professor Alan Page, University of Dundee; and Professor Nicola McEwen, University of Edinburgh—Oral Evidence (QQ 8-16).............................................................................................. 114 Mr Graham Pendlebury, Department for Transport; Mr John Robbs, Defra; and Ms Lindsey Whyte, HM Treasury—Oral evidence (QQ 67-75) ...................................................................... 115 Dr Hugh Rawlings, Director, Constitutional Affairs; and Rt Hon. Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales—Oral evidence (QQ 43-54) ............................................................................. 127 Mr John Robbs, Defra; Mr Graham Pendlebury, Department for Transport; and Ms Lindsey Whyte, HM Treasury—Oral evidence (QQ 67-75) ...................................................................... 128 Mr Laurence Robertson MP, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee; Mr Ian Davidson MP, House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee; and Mr Bruce Crawford MSP, Devolution (Further Powers) Committee, Scottish Parliament—Oral evidence (QQ 55-63) ........................................................................................................................................................ 129 Rt Hon. Peter Robinson MLA, First Minister of Northern Ireland—Oral evidence (QQ87- 97) .............................................................................................................................................................. 130 Dr Philip Rycroft, Director General, Deputy Prime Minister’s Office; and Ms Helen MacNamara, Director of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat, Cabinet Office— Oral evidence (QQ 17-31) .................................................................................................................. 140 United Against Separation—Written evidence (IGR0009) .......................................................... 159 Rt Hon. Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Advocate-General For Scotland; and Rt Hon. Alistair Carmichael MP, Secretary of State for Scotland—Oral evidence (QQ 76-86) ....................... 162 Ms Lindsey Whyte, HM Treasury; Mr John Robbs, Defra; and Mr Graham Pendlebury, Department for Transport—Oral evidence (QQ 67-75) ............................................................. 163 Professor Richard Wyn Jones, University of Cardiff—Oral Evidence (QQ 1-7) .................... 164 2 of 172 Professor Derek Birrell, University of Ulster—Written evidence (IGR0013) Professor Derek Birrell, University of Ulster—Written evidence (IGR0013) Inter-governmental Relations with Special Reference to Northern Ireland 1. Introduction Historically the term inter-governmental relations (IGR) was little used in Northern Ireland and in the period 1921-1972 intergovernmental contact with the UK Government was minimal, and mainly related to financial arrangements. During Direct Rule from Westminster between 1972 and 1999 intergovernmental relations was a redundant issue. Moving into negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement IGR became an important issue, but covered two dimensions: the relationship with the UK Government and the relationship with the Irish Government. The focus of this submission is on IGR involving the devolved government in Northern Ireland, the UK Government and the other devolved governments. However, participation by the Irish Government does impinge on these relations. North- South inter-governmental relations solely within Ireland are excluded. The processes of IGR are examined in five different categories in both institutional format and more informal and ad-hoc processes. 2. Bilateral Relations between Northern Ireland and the UK Government At this level IGR are relatively unstructured and operate mainly on an ad-hoc basis. 2.1. First Minister/Deputy First Minister – Prime Minister High level meetings have not been common and have operated mainly on a single issue basis. A distinctive feature is that the First and Deputy First Minister both attend, as constitutionally they are co-equal in status. Normally the UK Prime Minister would be accompanied by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and sometimes by the Chancellor, or the Deputy Prime Minister, who has a special responsibility for devolution. 2.2 First Minister/Deputy First Minister – Secretary of State Meetings between the First and Deputy First Minister and the Secretary of State are more frequent as consultation and cooperation may be required in relation to the responsibilities of the Northern Ireland Office. Issues may arise over finance, security matters, or changes in constitutional legislation. Requests for a meeting with the Prime Minister may produce an offer of a meeting with the Secretary of State instead. In 2011 the First and Deputy First Ministers met the Secretary of State and the Chancellor on the issue of the devolution of corporation tax. 2.3 Northern Ireland Executive Ministers – UK Ministers Meetings between ministers tend to be on a one to one basis but are not a regular occurrence. Although mainly operating on an ad-hoc basis it can be noted that the Northern Ireland Act 1998 specifies that the UK minister and appropriate Northern Ireland minister should consult one another with a view to securing a single system 3 of 172 Professor Derek Birrell, University of Ulster—Written evidence (IGR0013) of social security. Negotiations between the Northern Ireland minister and the Minister for Social