On 18 March 2018 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Wales Office, its goal “of a flexible, non-statutory Lord Bourne, confirmed for the government mechanism that, in essence, replicates the kind of engagement local government has on EU policy through the Committee of the Regions, but in a lighter-touch 1 arrangement.” The terms of this consultation procedure would ensure that UK ministers when issuing guidance have a formal mechanism to inform the Ministers views that is at 1 Hansard debate on UK Withdrawal Bill 19 March 2018 column 87 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Wales Office (Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth) (Con): “Through a ministerial Statement to Parliament, the Government will give local government a clear assurance about how it can expect to be consulted on certain matters which, following their repatriation from Europe, will now be handled at the United Kingdom level.