Select Committee on the Constitution
The Union and devolution
10th Report of Session 2015-16 - published 25 May 2016 - HL Paper 149
Contents
The Unions creating the United Kingdom
Ireland and Northern Ireland in the Union
Administrative devolution within Great Britain
The creation of the devolved institutions
Ongoing diversity in the Union and devolution
Table 1: Devolution across the UK
Are all these elements necessary?
The cumulative impact of devolution on the Union
The allocation of resources within the United Kingdom
The economic union: fiscal devolution
The social union: Shared welfare resources
Minimum standards of welfare provision
Minimum provision in other policy areas
Diverging policy and service delivery choices
The European Union referendum and a British Bill of Rights
The cultural union and emotional affinity
Chapter 4: Principles underlying the Union and devolution
Principles of the Union and devolution
Chapter 5: Strengthening the Union
Taking into account the needs of the Union
Identifying the core functions of the Union
A proper process for considering any proposals for devolution
Public information, engagement, consultation and consent
Chapter 6: Other recent proposals
Common features and difficulties
Chapter 7: Adapting to devolution
Inter-governmental relations: A new mindset
Formal structures of inter-governmental relations
The working of central government
Transparency and parliamentary scrutiny
Providing clarity over the role of the UK Government
The Government’s approach to the process of constitutional
change
Secession referendums and Parliament
The English Question and the governance of England
Principal options for the governance of England
English votes for English laws
Local Government and ‘devolution deals’
An answer to the English Question?
Summary of conclusions and recommendations
Annex A: The development of devolution in the UK since 1922
Annex B: Draft Charter of the Union from the Bingham Centre
for the Rule of Law
Appendix 1: List of Members and declarations of interest
Evidence is published online at www.parliament.uk/union-and-devolution and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020 7129 3074).
Q in footnotes refers to a question in oral evidence