Lords discuss the UK opt-in and its use in international treaties with Law Society
On Wednesday 5 November, Dr Anna Bradshaw will appear before the House of Lords EU Justice, Institutions and Consumer Protection Sub-Committee, as a representative of the Law Society of England and Wales.
In the second session of its inquiry examining the UK's opt-in and its application to international agreements, the Committee will speak to Dr Bradshaw, a former university lecturer in public law and human rights, who sits on the Law Society's EU Committee, and has written widely on EU criminal law topics.
Following on from last week's session, when two academic witnesses explained why they believed the Government's policy was legally flawed, the Committee will explore a number of issues with Dr Bradshaw, including:
- the interpretation of the Justice and Home Affairs Protocol, as outlined in a letter from the Home Secretary to the Chairman of the Lords EU Select Committee;
- the impact of the Government's opt-in policy in relation to international agreements on legal certainty, and any concerns the Law Society may have about legal certainty for individuals in the UK;
- the European Court of Justice's decisions and the UK's litigation strategy;
- whether the European Commission has sought to circumvent the UK and Ireland's opt-in rights; and
- the advice the Law Society would give to the Government, given its belief that it should reconsider its policy on the opt-in Protocol.
The evidence sessions will take place on Wednesday 5 November at 4pm in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.
The session will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.
