• UKP house of Lords Common Frameworks scrutiny committee, launched an inquiry on post-Brexit common frameworks program, inviting evidence from interested parties.

Background

• UK’s exit from EU will result in a number of powers that are currently held by the EU being returned to the UK: many of these powers currently intersect with the competences of at least one of the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish governments.
• Common frameworks are a mechanism for the UK and devolved governments to mutually agree some amount of regulatory consistency for policy areas.
• Sector-specific and jointly agreed between the UK government and devolved Administrations, covering areas like food safety and UK emissions trading system.
• Committee appointed 17 September 2020 to scrutinize and consider common frameworks.
• Scrutiny committee will examine operation of common frameworks program and relation to other initiatives, notably the UK internal market bill.
• Also examine program review/improvement, role for UK-wide parliamentary scrutiny.

Effectiveness

• The deadline for written evidence submissions is 30 November 2020.