Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 April 2026
Letter from Chris Ward MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on Intergovernmental Relations Engagement Dashboard, dated 25.3.26
From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Summary
Parliamentary Secretary Chris Ward writes to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee to report publication of the UK Government's second intergovernmental relations engagement dashboard, covering April–September 2025. The dashboard records 214 ministerial meetings between UK Government and devolved administrations across formal structures and bilateral engagement, claimed as evidence of sustained collaborative working.
Key findings
- UK Government ministers held 214 meetings with counterparts in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland between April and September 2025
- Engagement maintained across summer recess period and claimed to exceed comparable previous periods
- Ministerial meetings span formal forums (British-Irish Council, Interministerial Standing Committee) and direct bilateral meetings
- Policy areas of collaboration include trade strategy, EU matters, migration, and economic growth
- Government asserts that collaborative working is now embedded across government rather than confined to set-piece meetings
Tone
SupportiveTopics
Key actors
Chris Ward MP, Cabinet Office, UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive, Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Notable line
“… the most effective solutions for people across the United Kingdom are found when governments work together, drawing on the knowledge and priorities of each administration.”
Key Quotes
“Between April and September 2025, UK Government ministers held 214 meetings with their counterparts in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, across formal intergovernmental structures and direct bilateral engagement.”
“This level of contact, maintained even across the summer recess period, remains higher than in comparable periods and reflects the value we place on sustained, collaborative working relationships”
“… collaborative working is now embedded across government, not confined to set-piece meetings”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗