Subsidy Control Bill — Clause 11 — Subsidies and Schemes of Interest or Particular Interest — 13 Dec 2021 at 20:00

The majority of MPs voted not to require consultation with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in relation to subsidies, and subsidy schemes, deemed to be of particular interest.

MPs were considering the Subsidy Control Bill.^[1][2][3]

The Bill provided for state subsidies for businesses subject to them being proportionate and effective means of pursuing a policy, a last resort, and implemented in a way to minimise impacts on competition and investment.

The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment 19, page 7, line 9, at end insert—
• “(4) Before making regulations under this section, the Secretary of State must seek the consent of the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.
• (5) If consent to the making of the regulations is not given by any of those authorities within the period of one month beginning with the day on which it is sought from that authority, the Secretary of State may make the regulations without consent.
• (6) If regulations are made in reliance on subsection (5), the Secretary of State must make a statement to the House of Commons explaining why the Secretary of State decided to make the regulations without the consent of the authority or authorities concerned.”

The rejected amendment was accompanied by the following statement from its proposer:

• This amendment would require the Secretary of State to seek the consent of the Devolved Administrations before making regulations under this section. Where such consent is not given within one month, the Secretary of State may make the regulations without that consent, but must make a statement to the House of Commons explaining their decision.

Had the amendment not been rejected the additional subclauses requiring consultation with the devolved administrations contained within the amendment would have been added to Clause 11 of the Bill which was titled: Subsidies and schemes of interest or particular interest^[2][3] and provided for ministers to make regulations defining such subsidies and schemes.

Clause 52 of the Bill provides for subsidies, and subsidy schemes, of particular interest to be referred to the Competition and Markets Authority for them to make an assessment and report.

--

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Subsidy Control Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Subsidy Control Bill as introduced to the House of Lords, 14 December 2021, Parliament.uk
• [3] Explanatory notes to the Subsidy Control Bill as introduced to the House of Lords, 14 December 2021, Parliament.uk

Debate in Parliament |