The Scottish Government - Scottish Parliament Written Agreement on Intergovernmental Relations: Still Fit for Purpose?

Abstract

The Agreement was designed to enhance the ability of the Scottish Parliament to scrutinise intergovernmental relations (IGR). But with these relations becoming more important in the post-Brexit environment, McEwen and Brown Swan ask: is the Agreement still fit for purpose? The short answer is: No. The report was commissioned jointly by the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government. It shines a light on the challenges that MSPs had in scrutinising intergovernmental processes, including in relation to the Fiscal Framework and the Deposit Return Scheme. It makes a number of recommendations to strengthen the Agreement. These would help to ensure greater openness and accountability of the Scottish Government’s participation in IGR. It examines the Written Agreement, which was established in 2016, looking at: whether and how the original principles of the agreement – transparency, accountability, and respect for confidentiality – have been met in its implementation whether the terms of the Agreement remain fit for purpose