UK and EU scrutiny of treaties and role of devolved governments: Lords take evidence

The inquiry has been launched to look at Parliament's current limited system of treaty scrutiny. The Committee will examine Parliament's role to ensure that it is sufficiently robust to deal with potentially many more treaties after the UK leaves the EU.

Speaking to the Committee at 10:30am on Wednesday 28 November will be: 

• Jude Kirton-Darling MEP, Member of the EP International Trade Committee
• Dr Sylvia de Mars, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Newcastle

The session will focus on the EU and international agreements, the role for devolved legislatures and stakeholders, and UK Parliamentary scrutiny post-Brexit. Questions are likely to include:

• How effectively does the European Parliament scrutinise international agreements from the opening of negotiations to ratification?
• To what extent do devolved administrations and sub-national parliaments have input into EU-led international agreements? How well does this work?
• What role should the devolved governments and assemblies have in the treaty process after Brexit?
• What are the main lessons the UK Parliament should learn from the scrutiny of international agreements by the European Parliament?

The session will begin at 10.30am in Committee Room 1.

Speaking to the Committee via videoconference at 11am on Thursday 29 November will be:

• Mick Antoniw AM, Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee of the National Assembly for Wales

The session will focus on the role of the devolved governments and legislatures in treaties post-Brexit. Questions are likely to include:

• How much involvement and influence does the Welsh Government have at present while treaties are negotiated and ratified?
• To what extent is the National Assembly for Wales able to scrutinise the actions of the Welsh Government in its engagement with the UK Government on international agreements? What works well and what requires improvement?
• How should the devolved governments be involved in treaty-making after Brexit, and at what points during the process?
• Are there features of the way other countries involve sub-state actors in treaty making which you think should be considered in the UK?
• Does there need to be greater coordination between the legislatures in order to scrutinise treaties post-Brexit?

The session will begin at 11am in Committee Room 2.