European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill — Decline Third Reading — 9 Jan 2020 at 16:44

The majority of MPs voted to implement the withdrawal agreement agreed between the United Kingdom and the European Union which includes an implementation period running until 31 December 2020 during which European Union laws and treaties would generally continue to have effect in United Kingdom law.

MPs were considering the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill^[1][2].

The Bill:

• *provides for the treaties of the European Union, and European Union derived law, to generally continue to have effect in United Kingdom law following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the union until the end of an "implementation period" ending on 31 December 2020 as set in the Withdrawal Agreement of October 2019^[3].
• *gives legal effect to the Withdrawal Agreement^[3] in UK law.
• *implements agreements with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland on retaining citizen's rights.
• *empowers ministers to make immigration regulations in line with the Withdrawal Agreement with the European and the agreements with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
• *empowers ministers to make other regulations in connection with the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and connected documents including on the recognition of professional qualifications, the implementation of agreements on co-ordination of social security systems and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
• *provides a right of appeal to the courts in connection with immigration status decisions connected with withdrawal.
• *establishes an independent authority to monitor the implementation and application of the agreements covering citizens' rights.
• *ensures the arrangements relating to co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland set out in The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement are retained.

MPs were considering the motion:

• That the Bill be now read the Third time.

The amendment, or alternative motion, rejected in this vote was:

• That this House
• declines to give a Third Reading to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill because the Scottish Parliament has not consented to those parts of the Bill which encroach on devolved competencies, and because it fails to take into account the fact that the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union; and
• further believes that the Bill is not fit for purpose as it continues to undermine the fundamental principles of the Scotland Act 1998 by reserving to the UK Parliament powers that would otherwise be devolved to the Scottish Parliament upon the UK leaving the European Union.
• [1] Parliament's webpage on the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill. Parliament.uk website
• [2] Explanatory notes to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, Parliament.uk
• [3] New Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration, 17 October 2019, Gov.uk

Debate in Parliament |