Devolution and Exiting the EU and Clause 11 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: Issues for Consideration

On 12 October 2017, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) launched an inquiry into Devolution and Exiting the EU. This report constitutes an interim paper with supporting evidence. Its purpose is to develop the themes and issues raised in our predecessor Committee’s report in the previous Parliment The Future of the Union, part two: Inter-Institutional relations in the UK. Our inquiry is particularly focused on the long-term arrangements for devolution within the UK (and the inter-institutional relations which underpin those arrangements), following the UK’s departure from the EU.

Many of these issues have been brought into sharp focus by the provisions in the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. While our inquiry is continuing, much of the evidence we have heard to date is pertinent to the consideration of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill – not least for the consideration of Clause 11. At this stage, we draw no conclusions and make no recommendations in this report. This short report presents the evidence we have heard on key issues relating to Clause 11, with the intention of informing the debate expected to take place on the Floor of the House on 4 December 2017. The Committee will make further report early in 2018. It is important to emphasise that we have not finished taking evidence on these matters at the time of publishing this report.