Evidence to House of Lords Constitution Inquiry

The Bevan Foundation gave oral evidence to the House of Lords inquiry into the union and devolution on 21st January 2016.

The Constitution Committee’s inquiry considers what binds the constituent parts of the UK together and how the union could be strengthened and reinforced. It will include the principles that should underlie the existence and governance of the union and practical steps that could stabilise and strengthen it.

The Bevan Foundation’s response included:

• a call for devolution to be based on sound principles which would provide a better settlement and give greater clarity
• support for a UK wide constitutional convention
• caveats about the debate surrounding ‘fiscal responsibility’
• concern that changes to the devolution settlement should be based on the consent of all governments.

The uncorrected transcript of the oral evidence, along with that of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, is available here.