Interministerial Standing Committee - Meeting Communiqué - 24 June 2026
Updated 25 June 2026
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The Interministerial Standing Committee (IMSC) met for the first time in person, at Stormont Castle, Belfast, on 24 June 2026. It was the twelfth meeting of the IMSC and was co-chaired by the NI Executive First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA.
The other attending ministers were from the:
Scottish Government: Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Jenny Gilruth MSP.
Welsh Government: Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness & the Constitution, Dafydd Trystan Davies MS.
Joining virtually from the UK Government: Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, the Rt Hon Darren Jones MP; The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Scotland; The Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; The Rt Hon Hillary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The Committee welcomed its newest members from the Scottish and Welsh Governments and discussed future collaboration and the opportunities for joint working through the IMSC.
Members provided an update on their strategic priorities.
The Committee discussed the situation in the Middle East. They considered its impact on the economy and households, and the implications for their domestic policies. This was followed by a discussion on community cohesion, a challenge common to all governments. Ministers discussed how they could work together to share approaches and respond to challenges.
The IMSC will meet again in autumn 2026. The Scottish Government is scheduled to chair the next meeting.