A LONG-awaited review into how the UK's four nations can work better together has been published by the UK Government.
The Dunlop review, which was completed in November 2019, was published this evening by the Cabinet Office.
Lord Dunlop has made several recommendations on how Westminster and the devolved administrations can work more closely together, which the UK Government say have mostly been implemented already.
Despite this, devolved governments have often complained of poor relationships between them and Westminster, mainly at a political level.
Lord Dunlop wrote: "Working together is no longer an optional extra, if ever it was.
"It is fundamental to the business of government in these islands. "More importantly, it’s what people across the UK want and expect from their elected governments."
Among the recommendations made by the peer include introducing a new Great Office of State in the Cabinet, a new structure supporting the separate offices of the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with a single Permanent Secretary and a new fund for UK-wide projects, including joint projects with devolved governments.
He also recommends starting a "UK Intergovernmental Council" adding: "It would... reset relationships for the future" and would act as a "forum for co-operation and joint working on both opportunities and challenges."
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said: "We are very grateful to Lord Dunlop for his independent and expert assessment and analysis of the UK Government’s operations in the areas of devolution and IGR.
"We have carefully studied all of his recommendations and his Report has provided the impetus for a wide ranging programme of reform that I and my colleagues will continue to pursue vigorously."
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