Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 3:17 pm on 12 November 2025.
Lord Wilson of Sedgefield
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
3:17,
12 November 2025
I thank the noble Baroness for that question. It is true that the UK and devolved Governments have agreed to undertake joint working to look at ways of improving the operation of the Barnett formula, to report at the next meeting of the finance Interministerial Standing Committee, expected in early 2026. Just to reiterate, they have had a 20% uplift in their budgeting from the Barnett formula, which is equivalent to £4 billion this year.
An economic mechanism used by the Treasury to adjust automatically the amounts of public expenditure allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to reflect changes in spending levels allocated to public services in England, England and Wales or Great Britain as a whole.
In a normal session there are up to ten standing committees on bills. Each has a chair and from 16 to 50 members. Standing committee members on bills are appointed afresh for each new bill by the Committee of Selection which is required to take account of the composition of the House of Commons (ie. party proportions) as well as the qualification of members to be nominated. The committees are chaired by a member of the Chairmen's Panel (whose members are appointed by the Speaker). In standing committees the Chairman has much the same function as the Speaker in the House of Commons. Like the Speaker, a chairman votes only in the event of a tie, and then usually in accordance with precedent. The committees consider each bill clause by clause and may make amendments. There are no standing committees in the House of Lords.
An economic mechanism used by the Treasury to adjust automatically the amounts of public expenditure allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to reflect changes in spending levels allocated to public services in England, England and Wales or Great Britain as a whole.
