The UK will regain control of its own affairs and convert all EU
law into domestic law, giving businesses, workers and investors
maximum security and certainty as the country carves out its new
place in the world.
The White Paper on the Great Repeal Bill comes a day after the
Prime Minister invoked Article 50 and articulated her vision of a
Global Britain, with a strong new partnership with the EU and new
trading links with other parts of the globe.
It will allow for a smooth and stable transition as the UK leaves
the EU, ensuring that, wherever practical, the same rules and
laws will apply after exit day. It will then be for elected
politicians in this country to make changes in the national
interest.
Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union said:
"At the heart of the referendum decision was sovereignty. A
strong, independent country needs control of its own laws. That
process starts now.
"Converting EU law into UK law, and ending the supremacy of
lawmakers in Brussels, is an important step in giving businesses,
workers and consumers the certainty they need.
"And it will mean that as we seek a comprehensive new economic
partnership with the EU, our allies will know that we start from
a position where we have the same standards and rules."
The White Paper, entitled 'Legislating for the United Kingdom's
withdrawal from the European Union', will set out how the
Government plans to correct a significant proportion of EU law
that will cease to work appropriately when converted into UK
legislation. The use of secondary legislation will not be
available to make policy changes that are not designed to deal
with deficiencies in EU-derived law.
Secondary legislation is a process of longstanding. In the
previous two Parliaments, an average of 1,338 (2005-10) and 1,071
(2010-15) statutory instruments were made per year.
The corrections to EU law now required are estimated to need
between 800 and 1,000 statutory instruments.
These will largely effect mechanical changes that ensure laws
function properly after EU exit, and will be in addition to those
necessary for other purposes than leaving the EU.
Statutory instruments have been used to implement much of the EU
law already on the statute book, with almost 8,000 having been
passed to do so.
The reform will be essential to make corrections to law that does
not operate appropriately, with appropriate scrutiny for
secondary legislation, to allow Parliament sufficient time to
fully scrutinise substantive policy changes that will need
primary legislation — such as new Immigration and Customs Bills.
Devolved administrations are expected to be given equivalent
means to correct EU law that has been implemented at a devolved
level, and a broader commitment to devolve more power to them as
part of the process of bringing control of laws back to the UK.
