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Lords EU exit regulations: 4 March

5 March 2019

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On Monday 4 March, the House of Lords examined four statutory instruments preparing for Brexit.

A statutory instrument (SI), a type of secondary legislation, is a law created under powers given by an Act of Parliament. It is used to fill in the details of Acts (primary legislation).

The proposed SIs make changes to laws on:

  1. Intellectual property
  2. International trademarks
  3. Product safety and metrology
  4. Modifications, repeals and revocations to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

These SIs were considered in Grand Committee, a room outside the Lords chamber. In Grand Committee, any member can take part but no votes can take place.

The Brexit SIs under examination on Monday 4 March were all made under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and are changes to the law to be made in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.

In addition to the EU exit regulations, the House debated one non-Brexit SI on the National Minimum Wage.

All these SIs were made under the draft affirmative procedure, meaning they needed to be approved by Parliament before they could be made (signed into law) and brought into effect as law. Draft affirmative SIs can be stopped if either House votes against the government's motion calling for the SI to be approved.

Lords scrutiny

The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) examines every SI, including all EU Exit SIs. It publishes reports drawing members' attention to SIs.

Further information

Image: iStockphoto

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