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Lords concludes detailed check of Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill

9 March 2023

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Members of the Lords concluded their line by line scrutiny of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill in committee stage on Wednesday 8 March.

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will enable the government to implement policies in its Benefits of Brexit report, dated January 2022, allowing it to repeal or assimilate retained EU law (REUL) and remove its supremacy in the UK legal system by the end of 2023, including its usage by the courts and small businesses.

Detailed examination

Committee stage is the first chance for line by line scrutiny of the bill. 

Proposed changes 

Five days of committee stage were scheduled for Lords members to examine the bill.

Wednesday 8 March

Members speaking on the fifth and final day of committee stage put forward amendments (PDF) (changes) to the bill to be discussed on subjects including: 

  • application of Common Frameworks Agreements 
  • maintaining environmental standards
  • extent of powers granted to ministers to revoke EU laws.

Catch up

Explore further information

Read background on the bill in the House of Lords Library Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill briefing.

Next steps 

Report stage, a further opportunity to closely scrutinise elements of the bill and make changes, is yet to be scheduled.

What's happened so far?

Committee stage day four: Monday 6 March

Members speaking on day four of committee stage put forward amendments (changes) to the bill to be discussed on subjects including: 

  • a requirement for ministers to analyse the effect of removing retained EU laws
  • payments for farmers carrying out green practices
  • application of retained law by domestic courts.

Catch up

What's happened so far?

Committee stage day three: Thursday 2 March

Members speaking on day three of committee stage put forward amendments (changes) to the bill to be discussed on subjects including: 

  • restricting 'sunsetting' of EU legislation under the responsibility of devolved administrations
  • extent of parliamentary scrutiny 
  • data protection regulations.

Catch up

Committee stage day two: Tuesday 28 February

Members speaking on day two of committee stage put forward amendments (changes) to the bill to be discussed on subjects including: 

  • protections for customers buying package holidays
  • powers of the UK's devolved administrations
  • parliamentary scrutiny of retained and revoked EU laws.

Catch up

Committee stage day one: Thursday 23 February

Members speaking on day one of committee stage put forward amendments (changes) to the bill to be discussed on subjects including: 

  • safety requirements of personal protective equipment 
  • food safety regulations
  • european qualifications for health and social care professions.

How to follow

Second reading: Monday 6 February

During second reading, members discussed the main issues in the bill and drew attention to specific areas where they think amendments (changes) will be needed. 

Topics covered during the debate include:

  • the range of ministers' powers to amend legislation created by the bill
  • workers rights, food standards and environmental protections
  • the level of scrutiny over the original EU legislation
  • the timetable for repeal of retained EU law.

Members speaking

Lord Callanan (Conservative), Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility, opened the debate and responded on behalf of the government. 

Members speaking in the debate included: 

  • Lord Balfe (Conservative), former MEP and UK delegation member to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
  • Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Liberal Democrat), former member of the Lords EU Energy and Environment Committee
  • Lord Frost (Conservative), former Chief Negotiator for Exiting the European Union
  • Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench), former Permanent Representative to the EU
  • Lord Kerr of Kinlochard (Crossbench), advisory board member and former vice president of the European Policy Centre, Brussels
  • Baroness Ludford (Liberal Democrat), former MEP and Lords Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Exiting the European Union
  • Lord Monks (Labour), former General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation
  • Lord Whitty (Labour), former chair of the National Consumer Council.

Baroness Bray of Coln (Conservative) and Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway (Labour) made their maiden speeches in the House of Lords during this debate.

Motions to regret

Members also considered two regret motions against the bill.

The first motion, in the name of Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat), vice President of the German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce, regretted that the bill:

  • weakens the scrutiny role of Parliament and gives unparalleled delegated powers to government ministers
  • does not respect the constitutional role of the devolved administrations
  • sets an arbitrary deadline for the repeal of numerous laws that protect the UK's environmental standards, safety standards, employment rights and consumer rights
  • creates uncertainty for businesses and individuals.

Following a debate on the floor of the House, the motion was withdrawn.

The second motion, in the name of Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour), Director of Politics in the Opposition Leader's Office, also raised concerns regarding ministers' powers and the timetable for repeals. It also raised the impact the draft law would create, highlighting it may cause uncertainty and did not have the consent of the devolved administrations of the UK. It was also withdrawn.

If agreed, these motions would not have stopped the bill, but would have put on record the House's regret at the draft law for the specified reasons.

Catch up

Image: Rocco Dipoppa / Unsplash

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