10-03-2023, 10:58 PM
(10-03-2023, 09:26 PM)excel99 Wrote:The role of the European Medicines Agency is supposedly reduced under the new Windsor Agreement - so it’s possible that new drugs approved by UK regulators will not need to also be approved by the EMA in order to be sold in Northern Ireland in the future. I believe this is going to be policed by the new “UK only” label, similar to supermarket foods, and light touch spot checks to make sure no “UK only” products are turning up in the ROI or EU.(10-03-2023, 12:23 PM)Newshound47 Wrote: And there are a few responsibilities and departments that are UK wide that the Westminster Health Secretary has to oversee.Exactly. Certain aspects of genetics policy and medicine/medical device approval are 'reserved' to Westminster (although the Northern Ireland Protocol means the European Medicines Agency is involved in medicine approval in Northern Ireland). If Steve Barclay wants to change the process for approving medicines in Scotland or genetics policy in Wales, I don't believe the Scottish or Welsh Governments could do anything to stop that.
Of course most aspects of health policy are devolved, but referring to the Westminster Health Secretary as the 'Secretary of State for Health in England' is oversimplification to the point of inaccuracy.
(10-03-2023, 12:53 AM)Radio_man Wrote: Same goes for Education Secretary, Transport Secretary, and any area of government that's wholly devolved to Scotland, Wales & NI, who all have their own ministers responsible for these areas of devolved government.I'm not familiar with environment policy, but transport is very much mixed in terms of what is devolved or not devolved. Perhaps perfectly summed up by Network Rail. A GB-wide body, but in Scotland it has it's strategic priorities and funding set by the Scottish Government.
Aviation (except taxation), Maritime and Transport Security are Westminster (The Scottish government in particular may be heavily involved in internal flights and ferries, but they can't legislate). Roads and Local Transport are devolved. Cross-border rail services within Great Britain are mostly Westminster, but not internal services within Scotland/Wales. The regulatory framework for rail in Great Britain is set by Westminster. I'm guessing driving/vehicle licensing is fully Westminster
As ever, we will see how it works in reality once the process is tested!
However, I agree with you that calling roles “England Minister” would not be appropriate. It’s not the official name, which is therefore confusing in itself, and it is also not entirely accurate so it risks leading to far more confusion for the sake of appeasing Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish viewers at the expense of accuracy. I accept that the current “UK Minister” is also misleading but we haven’t thought of a better title yet, as a country, so it will have to do for now.