Future of the UK Constitution and Devolution — [Yvonne Fovargue in the Chair]

Mr. Norris praised the debate's importance and agreed with the need for greater constitutional coherence, but not necessarily standardisation. He emphasized disagreements within parties are beneficial. He advocated for local leaders to have access to maximum powers and supported diverse local government models while ensuring equal power distribution. Mr. Norris highlighted issues of centralisation and the need for a fairer future with more community control over lives and opportunities.

Suggested that improving representation from other parts of England and the UK in the House of Lords could be a way to address current imbalances, particularly regarding bishops and hereditary peers.

James Grundy argued that a mayoral model is not suitable for non-city areas like Cheshire, citing the example of Lancashire where people feel it would be inappropriate to have one mayor representing diverse communities. He also discussed past controversies over devolution such as the creation of large unitary authorities and highlighted local infrastructure issues in his constituency as an illustration of why a mayoral model might not work. Explained the differences in wage structures across England due to varying responsibilities among local authorities, contrasting this with Scotland's uniform system of unitary authorities.

Jim Shannon emphasised the importance of the UK Union and devolution for Northern Ireland, highlighting his family's sacrifices in service to the Union. He advocated for a legal opinion on the Windsor framework agreement to ensure it respects the views of Unionists and does not undermine their position. Shannon stressed the need for Unionist representation at decision-making tables and called for devolution that includes full democratic participation.

From a Welsh perspective, the Gordon Brown report was extremely unambitious. There is a huge opportunity for Labour to empower the Welsh Government with fiscal levers needed to deal with the Welsh economy.

Mr. Madders advocates for devolution to strengthen democracy, highlighting distrust in the current system where decision-making is centralized. He criticizes the competitive bidding process required for devolution deals as neither fair nor transparent. Emphasizing his constituency's lack of a defined identity and economic activity dispersed across multiple towns and villages, he argues against the need for an elected Mayor for genuine empowerment of local communities.

Asked for clarification on what regularisation should look like, referencing Scotland's system of unitary authorities and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities for negotiations with the Government. Acknowledged the debate topic and praised her colleague for providing historical context. Highlighted the effectiveness of participatory budgeting in Scotland, where 1% of local authorities' budgets are spent by community members to improve their areas. Discussed improvements made through community asset transfers and the importance of paying councillors a reasonable salary to attract high-calibre leaders.

Business leaders in Cheshire and Warrington have echoed concerns about the lack of a devolution deal despite making a plea to Ministers.

Robin Millar argued that the Union is not an idealistic framework to start from but rather a complex reality shaped by history, law, geography, and international relationships. He warned against turning the covenantal relationship between different parts of the UK into a transactional contract through devolution. Asked the Minister about unintended consequences of devolution, specifically mentioning the lack of uptake of tax-raising powers in Wales as an example of unevenness.

Ms. Dixon's contribution is not detailed in this batch but she is mentioned as a former council leader sitting next to Mr. Madders, supporting the advocacy for genuine devolution and local empowerment. Ms Dixon discussed the potential benefits of devolution for Cheshire and Warrington, highlighting the region's economic base, net zero ambition, and collaborative governance model. She emphasised that a devolved Cheshire and Warrington could further progress its work on transforming transport networks, backing towns and rural communities, creating green jobs, and achieving net zero goals.