⏰PROGRAMMING THE WAB ⏰
Along with publication of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) today we are awaiting the programme motion, which sets the timetable for Commons scrutiny.
What would be reasonable on the basis of the previous Brexit bills?
#BrexitDeal @UKandEU
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Along with publication of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) today we are awaiting the programme motion, which sets the timetable for Commons scrutiny.
What would be reasonable on the basis of the previous Brexit bills?
#BrexitDeal @UKandEU
⬇️⬇️⬇️
The WAB is estimated at 100 pages.
It will cover topics as diverse as citizens’ rights, dispute resolution arrangements, and parliament’s (possible) role in extending the transition period.
For more on key issues see this thread:
It will cover topics as diverse as citizens’ rights, dispute resolution arrangements, and parliament’s (possible) role in extending the transition period.
For more on key issues see this thread:
So the fairest point of comparison is the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
62 pages long when first published, it brought EU law into the domestic legal system and gave ministers wide-ranging powers to update the statute book.
62 pages long when first published, it brought EU law into the domestic legal system and gave ministers wide-ranging powers to update the statute book.
Debates focused on its legal clarity, the extent of the ministerial powers it proposed, and the powers of the devolved nations.
These all topics we expect to be live issues for the WAB.
These all topics we expect to be live issues for the WAB.
The EU(W)A was debated and scrutinised in the Commons for:
- 2 days at second reading
- 8 days at committee
- 2 days at report
Plus 20 days in the Lords and 4 at ping-pong – 36 days total.
How about something a little shorter and quicker?
- 2 days at second reading
- 8 days at committee
- 2 days at report
Plus 20 days in the Lords and 4 at ping-pong – 36 days total.
How about something a little shorter and quicker?
The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017, by contrast, was only 5 lines long.
It simply gave the PM the power to trigger Article 50.
It did not have anything like the technical complexity we can expect to see in the WAB.
It simply gave the PM the power to trigger Article 50.
It did not have anything like the technical complexity we can expect to see in the WAB.
It was debated in the Commons for:
- 2 days at second reading
- 3 days at committee
Plus 5 days in the Lords and 1 at ping-pong – 11 days total.
- 2 days at second reading
- 3 days at committee
Plus 5 days in the Lords and 1 at ping-pong – 11 days total.
Returning to today:
We now have only 8 normal sitting days before Brexit day, including 31 October.
Even if parliament sat on Saturday and Sunday, that would bring us to just 10 days to pass the WAB.
That's still less time than for the 5-line EU(NOW)A.
We now have only 8 normal sitting days before Brexit day, including 31 October.
Even if parliament sat on Saturday and Sunday, that would bring us to just 10 days to pass the WAB.
That's still less time than for the 5-line EU(NOW)A.
Legislation of the WAB's importance needs to be properly scrutinised.
Its timetabling should reflect the bill's length and complexity, and its great constitutional significance.
That's clearly difficult by 31 October.
ENDS.
Its timetabling should reflect the bill's length and complexity, and its great constitutional significance.
That's clearly difficult by 31 October.
ENDS.
You can find the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 here: services.parliament.uk/Bills/2017-19/…
And the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 here: services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/…
