A bilateral meeting has been held in Edinburgh today between First Minister Alex Salmond and Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy to discuss progress towards reviving the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) process.
Since taking office last year the First Minister has been vocal in pressing for the JMC to be re-established. Salmond reported after the meeting that all administrations involved had supported the Scottish Government’s call to reinvigorate the committee process.
The JMC provides a framework for the Scottish Government’s relations with the UK Government and for policy disputes between devolved administrations and Westminster to be resolved. The committee includes UK Ministers, Scottish Ministers and Ministers from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Paul Murphy has been given the responsibility by the Prime Minister of overseeing the committee.
Four joint ministerial committees were set up in 1999 on statistics, inward investment, international affairs and Europe. All but the European JMC fell into abeyance in 2002. Since January, the other three have been merged into one new JMC to look at all domestic issues.
Speaking after the meeting, Salmond said:
"I have long advocated the reinvigoration of the JMC, and I was delighted to welcome Paul Murphy to Edinburgh today to discuss the detailed arrangements around getting the vital JMC process up-and-running again by this summer.
"I made clear that I want to do all I can to ensure the success of the JMC meetings in supporting structured relationships between the UK Government and the devolved administrations.
"At the same time, I am also clear that the JMC has to fulfil all of its terms of reference, including the need to consider disputes between the administrations – something that was lost when the JMC process fell into abeyance in 2002.
"I look forward to detailed announcements around the JMC meeting programme being made in the near future."
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