Policy paper

The Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat: function and role

Published 27 November 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

What is the Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat?

The Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat (“the Secretariat”) was established as a result of the Review of Intergovernmental Relations (“IGR Review”), which sets out the structures and ways of working between the governments. The Secretariat consists of the Head of the Secretariat and supporting staff.

What does it do?

The IGR Review states that the Secretariat operates in accordance with the following set of guidelines. The Secretariat is:

• accountable at all times to the Council (made up of the Prime Minister and Heads of Devolved Governments) rather than to individual governments
• serves all governments equally and acts impartially in accordance with guidance, rules and processes that are jointly agreed by the Council
• responds to any request by any government to exercise its right to submit an item, supported by any relevant background papers, for a meeting in accordance with the agreed terms of reference of the particular forum
• promotes transparency and accountability wherever possible

The Secretariat also has a number of specific responsibilities in relation to each tier of the new IGR structure and processes.

The impartiality of the Secretariat is assured through its accountability to the Council and through its commitment to serve all administrations equally in accordance with the agreed guidance, rules and processes in the IGR review.

The Council

The Secretariat is ultimately accountable to the Council. However, day-to-day matters are dealt with by the Secretariat and Senior Officials, under delegated authority from the Council, with ministers retaining ultimate responsibility and accountability to legislatures.

The Secretariat has oversight functions in relation to Council meetings, including determining the dates, agenda and location, compiling and commissioning papers and reporting on the outcomes, drafting minutes and sharing joint communiqués.

Interministerial Standing Committee (“IMSC”)

IMSC is a middle tier structure which considers issues that cannot be considered at portfolio-level and that have been delegated to it by the Council, to bring together strategic considerations affecting many different portfolios and to discuss any cross-cutting international issues. Again, the Secretariat and Senior Officials act upon delegated authority from the IMSC to assist in fulfilling actions arising from IMSC meetings, with ministers retaining ultimate responsibility and accountability.

In a similar way to the Council, the Secretariat has oversight functions in relation to IMSC meetings.

Finance Interministerial Standing Committee (“F:ISC”)

The F:ISC is made up of representatives from HM Treasury and devolved governments’ finance ministers to consider finance and funding matters. It sits alongside the IMSC, but has its own Terms of Reference. It is supported by a joint secretariat, consisting of representatives of each ministers’ departments.

The F:ISC Secretariat, supported by the IGR Secretariat, will lead the first two stages of the dispute resolution process.

Interministerial Groups (“IMGs”)

An IMG is made up of ministers with responsibility for the relevant portfolio area. IMGs have been established in a number of policy areas and meet regularly as appropriate with agreed terms of reference. On a day-to-day basis, IMGs are supported by the relevant IMG Secretariat. However, the IGR Secretariat is responsible for maintaining a record of engagement within IMGs, including a record of IMG meetings as provided by IMG Secretariats. The IGR Secretariat also provides support in establishing new IMGs and with the escalation of matters from IMGs to the IMSC.

Working with officials

The Secretariat liaises with officials and senior officials from all four governments to ensure the new IGR structures, processes and behaviours are fully realised. The Secretariat attends meetings of the Officials Group and Senior Officials’ Group (unless it is inappropriate to do so), in order to facilitate feedback between the ministerial and official levels of engagement.

Transparency and evaluation

In accordance with the IGR Review, the Secretariat must produce an annual report on IGR activity. This report will be shared with all four governments. Individual governments will remain responsible for how the information is reported to their legislatures.

Each government has its own varying reporting requirements and the Secretariat’s report is not intended to replace those. Instead, the Secretariat’s report will provide detail on engagements for IMSC, IMG and Council meetings, including agenda items and disputes (see more below).

Where appropriate, the Secretariat will work with officials to support transparency arrangements across governments in order to promote a clear understanding of IGR activity.

Dispute resolution

The Dispute Resolution process for both financial and non-financial disputes is set out in the IGR Review. Insofar as possible, disagreements will be resolved at official level or the relevant IMG or F:ISC.

However, any government has the right to raise a dispute. The IGR Secretariat will consider whether the dispute raised satisfies the criteria. If a dispute satisfies the criteria, it will be escalated to the IMSC or F:ISC, as appropriate. If not, the IGR Secretariat will refer the dispute back for consideration at an earlier stage of the process. In addition to the prescribed process, the Secretariat will identify independent experts who may be called upon to assist in the resolution of a dispute. The Secretariat will facilitate the appointment of a third party, where there is agreement by all parties to the dispute to do so.

The Secretariat will produce a report on the outcome of a dispute, which will be laid before the relevant legislatures. The Secretariat’s annual report, which will be laid before all legislatures, will include details of all disputes and their outcomes.