Retained EU Law Bill a "shameless power-grab" 

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ahead of tonight's House of Commons vote on the EU Retained Law Bill, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Business, Sarah Olney MP, who has sponsored the cross-party amendment to publish an exhaustive list of every British law that will be revoked if this bill passes, said:

"This bill is a shameless power-grab by a Conservative Government that's running roughshod over Parliament. Drastically changing Britain’s laws and protections at breakneck speed without proper scrutiny poses huge risks for people and businesses all across the UK.

“From removing crucial protections for workers’ rights, to inviting an increase in sewage dumps from water companies as environmental laws are flushed down the drain, this Bill is an unmitigated disaster for our environment, our economy and our democracy.

"Even if the Bill passes through the Commons, the Liberal Democrats will continue to fight it in the House of Lords. We will not allow the rights of British workers, the interest of British businesses and the UK's environmental laws to be extinguished in an undemocratic power grab."

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Sarah Olney is a co-sponsor of Labour MP Stella Creasy's amendment 36. 

Full wording of amendment: 

Clause 1, page 1, line 12

at end insert—

“(3A)The Secretary of State must, no later than three months before the date specified in subsection (1), publish a list of all legislation being revoked under this section (the “revocation list”) and lay a copy before Parliament.

(3B)With each update of the revocation list up to the date specified in subsection (1), the Secretary of State must lay an updated copy of the revocation list before Parliament.

(3C)Any legislation not included in the revocation list, as updated, on the date specified in subsection (1) is not revoked.

(3D)At any time before the date specified in subsection (1), the House of Commons may by resolution amend the revocation list by adding or removing instruments specified in the resolution, and the Secretary of State must accordingly lay the updated revocation list before Parliament.

(3E)At any time before the date specified in subsection (1), the House of Lords may by resolution propose amendment of the revocation list by adding or removing instruments specified in the resolution.

(3F)If the House of Commons does not pass a motion disagreeing with a resolution of the House of Lords under subsection (3E) within ten days of the date of that resolution, the Secretary of State must amend the revocation list in accordance with the resolution of the House of Lords and lay the updated version before Parliament.

(3G)If the Secretary of State does not amend the revocation list when required to do so by paragraphs (3D) or (3F) before the date specified in paragraph (1), the revocation list will be deemed to have been amended as specified in the resolution of the relevant House of Parliament, and the relevant legislation will be treated as though the change has been made.

(3H)Any legislation to which section (3C) applies is not to be considered as either retained EU law or assimilated law.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would require the Government to publish an exhaustive list of every piece of legislation being revoked under the Sunset Clause, and allow for Parliamentary oversight of this process so that it is the House of Commons which has the ultimate say on which legislation is affected.