Chamber and committees

UK Internal Markets

Letter to the Convener of Conveners Group, 10 September 2021

Dear Liam,

The Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee has the lead role in scrutinising the impact of the UK leaving the EU on how devolution works.  In particular, how the UK internal market will impact on devolved policy areas. 

It will be subject committees though which will have the responsibility for scrutinising the impact of the new constitutional arrangements on policy and legislation within their respective remits.  For example, in relation to the use of the “keeping pace” power, common frameworks, the Trade and Co-Operation Agreement and other international agreements and the UK Internal Market Act.   

As noted by the Finance and Constitution Committee’s legacy expert panel, taken together these additional demands “amount to a substantial increase in the role and complexity of parliamentary scrutiny. The burden will fall primarily on the subject committees.”

The attached guidance (Annexe A) on scrutiny of the impact of the UK internal market on devolved policy areas is intended to support the subject committees in carrying out this work.

It would be helpful if the Conveners’ Group could have an opportunity to discuss the issues raised in the guidance with a view to delivering a consistent and joined up approach to scrutiny in these areas.  Given the legacy expert panel have already considered these issues in some detail, one option may be to invite representatives from the panel to speak to the Group.

Yours Sincerely,

Clare Adamson

Convener of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

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