6th Report - Executive oversight and responsibility for the UK constitution
- HC No.
- Not recorded
- Published
- 28 Jan 2025
- Items
- 0
- Government response
- Government response published 31 March 2025 (deadline 28 March 2025). Read the government's response ↗
Select committee: Constitution Committee
Executive oversight and responsibility for the UK Constitution
Closed
Opened 17 Oct 2024
Closed 4 Jul 2025
Constitution Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
Responsibility for specific areas of the constitution is spread broadly across government and roles are often overlapping. The Committee is conducting a short inquiry into where executive responsibility for the UK constitution as a whole lies within the new Government, with a focus on how responsible ministers are to work effectively together to ensure a common understanding of the integrity of the UK constitution. The report was published on 28 January 2025, the Government response was published on 31 March 2025 and debated in the House of Lords on 4 July 2025
Where it stands
The inquiry is closed, opened 17 October 2024.
The committee has published 1 report, most recently 6th Report - Executive oversight and responsibility for the UK constitution on 28 January 2025.
The government's response
Published 31 March 2025. The deadline was 28 March 2025.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government shares the Committee's view of the strengths of the UK's constitutional arrangements, agrees there is value in a centre of expertise on constitutional matters, and does not support passing responsibility for the constitution to a single Minister.
- On the Propriety and Constitution Group, the government "agrees there is value in an established centre of expertise" on constitutional matters, noting that the Group draws on available precedent and expertise held by other departments.
- It "does not support passing responsibility for the constitution to a single Minister", stating that responsibility is "shared across a number of Ministers and departments each with their own expertise".
- On recording constitutional considerations in write-round papers, it says it is for the incumbent government to determine the content and format of papers, and that it does not disclose specific details of collective decision-making processes.
- On ethics bodies, it is "committed to keeping our ethics bodies under review", and notes that the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards may now initiate an investigation without the Prime Minister's consent.
Reports
All reportsEvidence
- 4 oral evidence sessionsLatest 4 December 2024
- 6 witnesses
Recent activity
- Government Response to the 6th Report - 'Executive Oversight and responsibility for the UK Constitution'31 March 2025, Report published
- 6th Report - Executive oversight and responsibility for the UK constitution28 January 2025, Report published
- Letter from Lord Sedwill GCMG to Baroness Drake, Chair of the Constitution Committee (9 January 2025)15 January 2025, Correspondence
Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Dec 2024 |
Oral Evidence
The Lord Sedwill GCMG · UK Government
|
View ↗ |
| 28 Nov 2024 |
Oral Evidence
Rt Hon Michael Gove · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
|
View ↗ |
| 20 Nov 2024 |
Oral Evidence
Darren Tierney · Department for International Trade,
Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP · UK Government,
Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP · UK Government
|
View ↗ |
| 30 Oct 2024 |
Oral Evidence
Alex Thomas · Institute for Government
|
View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Thomas · Programme Director | Institute for Government | 1 |
| Darren Tierney · Director General, GTI Policy, Programmes, and UK Regions | Department for International Trade | 1 |
| Rt Hon Michael Gove · Secretary of State | Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | 1 |
| Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP · Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations) | UK Government | 1 |
| Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP · Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations | UK Government | 1 |
| The Lord Sedwill GCMG · Former Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser | UK Government | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 2025 | To committee | Letter from Lord Sedwill GCMG to Baroness Drake, Chair of the Constitution Committee (9 January 2025) |
Meetings & visits
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| Date | Type | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 2024 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | Formal Meeting (Private Meeting) · Room 2, Palace of Westminster | |
| 11 Dec 2024 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | Formal Meeting (Private Meeting) · Room 1, Palace of Westminster | |
| 13 Nov 2024 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | Formal meeting (private meeting) · Room 2, Palace of Westminster | |
| 6 Nov 2024 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | Formal Meeting (Private Meeting) · Room 1, Palace of Westminster |