Communiqué from the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee - 17 October 2025
Published 27 October 2025
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Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC)
17 October 2025
St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Scottish Government), Shona Robison MSP chaired a meeting of the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC) on 17 October 2025 in Edinburgh.
The meeting was attended by the Rt Hon James Murray MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury (UK Government), the Minister of Finance (Northern Ireland Executive), John O’Dowd MLA, and the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language (Welsh Government).
All ministers appreciated the opportunity to discuss working collaboratively, and in view of the upcoming UK Autumn Budget, discussed the economic and fiscal context and the priorities for each of the devolved governments.
Ministers then discussed options for enhancing the fiscal flexibilities available to devolved governments, and agreed that joint work would be undertaken looking at ways of improving the operation of the Barnett formula, to report at the next F:ISC
Ministers went on to discuss a programme for future meetings, noting that the next planned meeting of F:ISC would take place early next year, to be chaired by the Northern Ireland Executive.