Thread by @woodstockjag

Here is the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill 2019-20.

publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill…

First impressions.

Three clauses removed.

Clause 30 on MPs' veto over extension? Gone.
Clause 31 on Parliament's role re future relationship? Gone.
Clause 34 and Schedule 4 on workers' rights? Gone.

5 new clauses:

Clause 30 on Joint Committee dispute resolution reporting
Clause 33 banning Ministers from agreeing to an extension
Clause 35 banning the use of written procedure in the Joint Committee
Clause 36 repealing spent enactments
Clause 37 changing stuff re Dubs children

The much briefed stories about letting lower courts depart from CJEU judgments, rather than just the Supreme Court and High Court of Justiciary? That seems to be a new subsection in clause 26(1) of the Bill. It gives Ministers a power to decide when lower courts can do this.

Another change is in clause 20. In October the WAB had what's called a standing service provision, which authorises expenditure to the EU for sums owed under the WA treaty. It was time limited last time (to March 2021) but a Minister could extend it. No more can it be extended.

Last time the Bill only had provisions about House of Commons scrutiny of developments in EU law during the transition period (the European Scrutiny Committee could force debates in the Commons). It seems there is now the same role in the Lords for its EU Committee in clause 29.

It also seems like Schedule 2 has been amended a bit. It now looks like the Independent Monitoring Authority can delegate decisions about starting inquiries and legal proceedings (where it couldn't before) and that its functions can be transferred more easily than before.

I've noticed another change, which I assume is connected to domestic ban on an extension of the transition/implementation period.

Whereas previously "IP completion day" could be amended to reflect extension, now it can only be amended if the EU changes its daylight saving rules.