Practice makes perfect

I've spent far more time than is good for me trying to work out how laws are made these days.

Fortunately, help is at hand from the Ministry of Justice, with this helpful flowchart as part of its devolution guidance notes. If it's a little unclear, you can find an online version here.

The new rules for civil servants state that the devolution settlement is being deepened rather than broadened. A cynic might think that the purpose of this new complicated structure is to make the case for a simplified system - full law-making powers - more powerful.

The guide for officials includes advice on "good practice" and "bad practice". Among the top tips, "face-to-face meetings are often useful" and "ask the experts - your colleagues in devolved adminstrations want to work with you".