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Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 1 June 2026

Debate

Devolved Public Services: Funding

Contribution

My Lords, Lord Barnett was an outstanding public servant as a Manchester Member of Parliament and a Treasury Minister under the Callaghan Government, and he was given the task to come up with this formula in 1978 to placate the Scottish nationalists. I had the good fortune to spend some time on trains from Manchester to Parliament, and I remember that about 10 or 15 years ago he expressed his surprise that that formula was still in place with his name on it. He said that it was past its sell-by date, was unfair to British taxpayers and should be abolished or reformed. What plans do this Government have in mind to reform the Barnett formula now that we have a nationalist Government in Wales?

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