European Union Bill — Expiry of Provisions Requiring Referendum Before Tranfering UK Powers to the EU — 15 Jun 2011 at 19:31

The majority of members of the House of Lords voted for the provisions requiring a referendum prior to transferring further powers from the UK to the EU to expire at the end of each Parliament. Those members voting "content" were voting to weaken the safeguard provided by the referendum provision.

The House of Lords was considering the European Union Bill^[1]. The amendment which was accepted by the majority of Lords in this vote was:

Amendment 35: After Clause 21, insert the following new Clause-

• "Duration of Part 1 and Schedule 1 (No. 2)
• (1) Part 1 and Schedule 1 shall expire on the day on which the Parliament in which this Act is passed dissolves.
• (2) In subsequent Parliaments, the Secretary of State may by order provide that Part 1 and Schedule 1 shall be deemed to have been revived from the beginning of the Parliament in which the order is made.
• (3) An order under subsection (2) shall provide that Part 1 and Schedule 1 shall expire on the day on which the Parliament in which the order is made dissolves.
• (4) An order under subsection (2)-
• (a) must be made by statutory instrument, and
• (b) may not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament."

This new clause would have made the provisions relating to referenda on decisions to transfer powers from the UK to the EU expire at the end of each Parliament.

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the European Union Bill (now an Act)

Debate in Parliament | Source |