Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Deferred
Paragraph: 30
Evaluate Cabinet Office role in facilitating urgent multi-departmental Crown Dependency engagement
Recommendation
We recommend that the UK Government consider whether the Cabinet Office could potentially have a role, alongside the Ministry of Justice, in facilitating engagement on urgent matters requiring the involvement of several UK Government departments.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government will carefully consider developing a formal framework for the relationship with Crown Dependencies and seek their views, expressing caution about codifying it, but does not directly commit to a Cabinet Office role for urgent matters.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
30
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
19. The Government recognises that there may be occasions when cross- departmental coordination is needed to address complex or contentious issues affecting the Crown Dependencies. Normally this coordination would be undertaken by the Ministry of Justice as the department responsible for managing the UK’s constitutional relationship with the Crown Dependencies. In certain circumstances the Ministry of Justice may need to consider possible routes of escalation, which may include a Ministry of Justice Minister writing to other Government departments, or could include seeking assistance from the centre of Government by asking the Cabinet Office to lend support. 20. However, we consider that this should remain a rare exception rather than a routine practice, reflecting the role of the Lord Chancellor as the Privy Counsellor with responsibility for advising the Crown on matters relating to the Crown Dependencies, and the Ministry of Justice’s responsibility for overseeing and supporting the constitutional relationship between the UK and the Crown Dependencies. 21. The Ministry of Justice will continue to work with the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments to help ensure that the Crown Dependencies’ interests are properly represented and respected across Whitehall.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗