Lords Delegated Powers Committee has issued its view on the #CoronavirusBillUK.
publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldse…
It's concluding paragraph suggests a possible Lords amendment which would change the expiry on sunset clause to 1 yr from 2yrs (thread)
publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5801/ldse…
It's concluding paragraph suggests a possible Lords amendment which would change the expiry on sunset clause to 1 yr from 2yrs (thread)
"Given the speed with which the Government need to act and the significance of the powers needed to address the emergency, we have, on this occasion, chosen mainly to highlight points of concern rather than make definitive recommendations..."
"...Whilst in no way resiling from the appropriateness of this exceptional approach, we nonetheless believe that it is important for us to state clearly that, had the country not been in the midst of a developing national emergency, there are powers in this Bill..."
"...including far-reaching Henry VIII powers, about which our commentary would have been far more trenchant and our recommendations far more robust..."
"...Given this, we have recommended that the expiry date for the Bill should be set at one year without a power to extend – not two years, with the possibility of extension – thereby enabling the Government to exercise the powers needed in the immediate future while..."
"... allowing a further bill to be introduced and subject to parliamentary scrutiny in slower time. This sunsetting provision is, as we have said above, the principal safeguard in the face of such significant powers being conferred on Ministers..."
