The Prime Minister has said that she will represent all the people of the UK in the negotiations. The Government is working with the devolved administrations to ensure that our withdrawal from the EU works for the whole of the UK. The Joint Ministerial Committee provides the main channel for the officials and the leaders of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments to have their say.
Any decision currently taken by the devolved administrations will remain their responsibility after the UK leaves the EU. The Government has also proposed that the vast majority of powers that are returned from Brussels should start in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. If the devolved administrations accept this offer it would strengthen and enhance the devolution settlements not weaken them.
The UK Government and the devolved administrations have already agreed that frameworks will be required to break down which of the powers returning from the EU should reside at a devolved level. While the frameworks are being agreed, the presumption will also be that these powers should reside at devolved level. Westminster would only be involved to protect the UK common market while a UK-wide framework is put in place.
