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Joint Ministerial Committee: UK Government and the devolved administrations

19 June 2008
CAB/065/08

The Joint Ministerial Committee involving the UK Government and thedevolved administrations is having a plenary meeting on Wednesday 25 June 2008.

The Committee, meeting in London, will discuss how to meet the UK's fair share of the European Union's 2020 renewable energy target. Ministers will also discuss the UK Government's draft marine bill as well as having the opportunity to discuss broader relations between the UK Government and the devolved administrations.

Jack Straw, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, as the Prime Minister's representative, will chair the meeting. The Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy, Secretary of State for Scotland Des Browne and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Shaun Woodward will represent the UK Government.

The First Minister for Scotland Alex Salmond and the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney will attend along with First Minister for Wales Rhodri Morgan and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones. Northern Ireland will be represented by First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

The JMC meeting follows bilateral meetings between the Secretary of State for Wales and the First Ministers for Scotland, and Wales and the First Minister and deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland.

For further information contact Cabinet Office press office on 020 7276 2533.

Notes to Editors

1. The Joint Ministerial Committee is an over-arching body provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations. It includes ministers of the UK Government, and ministers of each of the devolved administrations.
2. Earlier this year, the Prime Minister gave Paul Murphy the task of overseeing a new series of JMC meetings.
3. The JMC's terms of reference are as follows:
   1. to consider non-devolved matters which impinge on devolved responsibilities and devolved matters which impinge on non-devolved responsibilities;
   2. where the UK Government and the devolved administrations so agree, to consider devolved matters if it is beneficial to discuss their respective treatment in the different parts of the United Kingdom;
   3. to keep the arrangements for liaison between the UK Government and the devolved administrations under review; and
   4. (iv) to consider disputes between the administrations.
4. The JMC is a forum where administrations can discuss issues that in some way concern all four territories – whether they're purely devolved issues, or ones that straddle the boundaries of the UK Government and devolved administrations.
5. There have been four meetings of the European formation of the JMC in the last 12 months to discuss current EU business in which the devolved administrations have an interest. The Joint Ministerial Committee has not met in plenary since 2002.
6. Ministers from the devolved administrations attend the regular meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) chaired by the Foreign Secretary.
7. A further statement is due to be released after the JMC meeting next week.

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