Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Devolved Administrations

Thursday 5 March 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Labour Government signed a 50 million defence growth deal with the Welsh Government and announced plans for seven new Welsh railway stations through 14 billion investment.
  • The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster expressed agreement that two Labour Governments in Westminster and Cardiff deliver real change, focusing on issues like the cost of living, jobs, and public services.
  • The Chancellor criticized the Scottish National Party for framing Scottish elections around a divisive independence referendum rather than their record on devolved powers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
NHS Education Economy Housing Employment Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Democracy & Elections Parliamentary Procedure Local Government
Context

The MP is questioning the progress made in strengthening the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations, focusing on tangible actions and agreements.

Question

What recent progress has been made on strengthening the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations? Specifically, what actions have been taken to ensure that both governments are focused on the cost of living, jobs, and public services?

Answer from Darren Jones

The Labour Government has signed a £50 million defence growth deal with the Welsh Government and announced plans to build seven new Welsh railway stations through £14 billion of investment. Tariffs on Scottish whisky were halved following the Prime Minister's visit to China. The child poverty strategy has progressed by voting to remove the two-child cap, benefiting over 17,000 children in Northern Ireland. Minister for Intergovernmental Relations regularly convenes interministerial standing committees with representatives from the devolved Governments to discuss issues such as election security and preparedness for the May elections.

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Q2 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
NHS Economy Employment
Context

The MP builds on the previous question, emphasizing the need for both governments to focus on cost of living, jobs, and public services for constituents in Gower. She challenges the distraction caused by other parties and emphasizes the importance of Labour working together.

Question

My constituents in Gower need both Governments focused on what matters to them: the cost of living, jobs and public services. Does the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster agree that, with Labour Governments in Westminster and Cardiff, that is exactly what we are getting? Does he also agree that neither the distraction and ideological fantasies of the Greens nor the division and destruction of Reform will help Wales to move forward into a new era?

Answer from Darren Jones

The distraction of the Reform party or the Green party is not one that we have the benefit of this morning, because none of the Members from those parties have come to the Chamber to take part in questions. My hon. Friend is right that two Labour Governments working together delivers real change for people in Wales. After 14 years of a Conservative Government who ignored the Welsh Government in Wales, we have delivered on rail, AI growth zones, defence and jobs, and the highest level of spending since devolution began to get NHS waiting lists down. We will continue to do that, working together with First Minister Eluned Morgan and her team in Cardiff.

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Q3 David Mundell Con Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale
Scotland Wales
Context

The MP is questioning the Scottish National Party's framing of the Scottish elections, focusing on the SNP's record on devolved powers and its focus on independence.

Question

Does the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster share my profound disappointment that once again the Scottish National party is seeking to frame the Scottish elections as being about a divisive independence referendum, rather than about devolved powers, on which its record is so woeful?

Answer from Darren Jones

The Chancellor agrees. When visiting Scotland to talk to voters, Labour focuses on public service quality, such as the NHS performance in Scotland, which is poor compared with England. The SNP in government will block investment into jobs in nuclear energy and defence industries. A Labour Government in Scotland under Anas Sarwar will show the power of two Labour Governments working together to deliver for the people of Scotland, as seen in Wales.

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