| Description | Concordat |
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| ISBN | (Web Only) |
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| Official Print Publication Date | |
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| Website Publication Date | November 25, 1999 |
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Dispute resolution
36. Officials will endeavour to follow the procedures set out in this concordat, together with the Memorandum of Understanding and the overarching concordats on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues, International Relations, Statistics and Financial Assistance to Industry. If officers of one administration are not satisfied that the other party has properly complied with the terms of this concordat, they shall initially seek to resolve this matter between officials, including, if necessary, at Permanent Secretary level. If deemed appropriate, a meeting of the concordat review committee (see paragraph 38) may be convened. If the complainants are not satisfied that the issue has been satisfactorily resolved, this may then be raised, in writing, at Ministerial level.
37. If a dispute between DCMS and the Office of the Scottish Executive cannot be resolved bilaterally it will be open to either party to call for a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) details of which are set out at annex B.
Review of concordat and bilateral relations
38. The procedures set out in this concordat shall be regularly reviewed and, where appropriate and agreed jointly by both administrations, amended (for instance, to take account of new bodies to be created following DCMS's departmental spending review). In order to carry out this function a review committee shall be established, consisting of senior officials from each administration. The committee shall be chaired by DCMS, who will also be responsible for providing a committee secretary and hosting the meetings of the committee. The committee shall meet no less than once a year, but may be convened more frequently with the consent of the chairman.
39. The committee will also have a wider role for considering bilateral relations in general.
Signed on behalf of DCMS: [Brian Leonard]
Signed on behalf of the Office of the Scottish Executive: [John Elvidge]