- Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill will give
legal standing to separation from the EU.
- Primary legislation will be used to put the Withdrawal
Agreement into UK law.
The Government has taken further steps to provide clarity
and certainty as we leave the European Union by announcing a new
Bill to enshrine the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK and the
EU in domestic law.
In this afternoon’s statement to the House on the latest
round of Brexit negotiations, the Secretary of State for Exiting
the EU, outlined plans for the
Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill.
This confirms that the major policies set out in the
Withdrawal Agreement will be directly implemented into domestic
law by primary legislation – not by secondary legislation under
the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. This will allow for
Parliamentary scrutiny and oversight of the process.
The Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said:
“We have always said we will do whatever is necessary to
prepare for our exit, including bringing forward further
legislation, and that is exactly what we are doing.
“This is another important step that demonstrates our
pragmatic approach to getting our house in order as we leave the
EU.
“By announcing this Bill, we are providing clarity and
certainty - both in the negotiations and at home - about the
final agreement being put into UK law.
“As we move forward, we stand ready to work with MPs from
across the House to ensure a smooth, and orderly exit from the EU
that is effectively scrutinised by Parliament.”
The exact details of the Withdrawal Agreement are the
subject of ongoing and future negotiations and cannot be known
until those negotiations are near completion.
Therefore a Bill separate to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill is
required to legislate for our withdrawal arrangements and planned
Implementation Period.
The Bill is expected to cover the contents of the
Withdrawal Agreement, including issues such as an agreement on
citizens’ rights, any financial settlement and the details of an
implementation period agreed between both sides.
Bringing forward this Bill means that Parliament will be
given time to debate, scrutinise and vote on the final agreement
we strike with the EU. It comes over and above
the undertaking the Government has already made that it will give
Parliament a vote on the final deal as soon as possible after the
deal is agreed.
The announcement of the Withdrawal Agreement and
Implementation Bill comes ahead of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill
entering Committee Stage in the House of Commons tomorrow
(Tuesday 14 November) when amendments will be debated by
MPs.
Day one of Committee Stage will include debate about the
first clause of the Bill which repeals the European Communities
Act 1972.
Last week, the Government tabled an amendment to the Bill,
putting exit day on the face of the Bill after Ministers listened
carefully to the debate around setting ‘exit day’ for the
statutory purposes of the Bill.
There will be two days of debate for the Withdrawal Bill’s
Commons Committee Stage this week (Tuesday and Wednesday).
Further dates for debate will be scheduled in due course and
announced by the Leader of the House.
