Implications of Withdrawal Agreement Bill examined

6 Nov 2019 11:09 AM

The Constitution Committee publishes an interim report on the constitutional issues in the Government’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill. The bill is of the highest constitutional significance, given its intended effect of implementing a Brexit deal.

Background

The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 21 October 2019 and received its second reading on 22 October. The Bill passed second reading, but the programme motion setting the timetable for further consideration in the House of Commons was not approved. The Bill made no further progress ahead of the dissolution of Parliament on 6 November.

Key findings

The report examined several issues in the Bill, including:

  • the Withdrawal Agreement’s implementation period;
  • citizens’ and workers’ rights;
  • the Ireland/Northern Ireland protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement;
  • several broad secondary law-making powers;
  • the complex ongoing relationship to EU law both during the implementation period to 31 December 2020 and for the life of the Withdrawal Agreement; and
  • parliamentary sovereignty.