Professor Nicola McEwen attended the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee to share her academic expertise on the transparency of intergovernmental activity and its implications for parliamentary scrutiny.

This followed a report that she co-wrote for the Committee with Dr Coree Brown Swan, recommending changes to the substance of the Written Agreement on Intergovernmental Relations between the Scottish Government and Parliament.

Following the 2024 election, the new UK Government announced its intention to ‘reset devolution’, and the government’s relationship with devolved administrations. The Committee opened with a general question asking what progress has been made in delivering that reset.

Nicola noted that ‘a reset is a process, not an event’. She shared that in the process of resetting relations, she believes there has been a positive culture change, though it is difficult to say due to a lack of transparency.

She said there is more willingness to share information, in contrast to before the 2024 General Election, but that a cultural shift will only take you so far. She noted some of the challenges that contributed to the deteriorating relationships are still there, such as the UK Internal Market Act and the effects of Brexit.

Watch Professor McEwen's answer to this opening question in the right-hand column.

Through the committee meeting, members asked questions to the panel of academics on matters around intergovernmental relations, including on the UK Government’s ‘Pride in Place’ initiative and the Sewel Convention.

Watch the full committee meeting on Scottish Parliament TV

Professor Nicola McEwen, along with co-author Professor Thomas Horsley who also gave evidence in this session, Dr Coree Brown and Dr Lisa Claire Whitten, wrote a report last year that examines the effects of the UK Internal Market Act on devolution: Westminster Rules? United Kingdom Internal Market Act and Devolution.

This significant report gives impartial analysis of the context, content and operational impact of the UK Internal Market Act and offerred pragmatic policy ideas on a new, more consensual way forward.

Read: Westminster Rules? United Kingdom Internal Market Act and Devolution

Also giving evidence in the Committee session were:

  • Professor Thomas Horsley, Professor of Law, University of Liverpool
  • Professor Colin Reid, Professor of Public and Environmental Law, University of Dundee
  • David Thomson, Chief Executive, Food and Drink Federation Scotland
  • Dr Paul Anderson, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Politics, Liverpool John Moores University

First published: 10 October 2025

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Watch Professor McEwen's opening answer