Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
The Committee was established in June 2021. It focuses on:
- checking secondary legislation coming before the Parliament for legal and technical accuracy
- checking whether proposed powers to make secondary legislation in Bills are appropriate
- reporting its findings to the Parliament so all laws and proposals for laws get proper oversight from MSPs
- looking at certain Bills which are based on reports from the Scottish Law Commission. The Commission recommends changes to the law so it keeps pace with the way we live and work.
Next meeting of the committee
Details of the next meeting are not available yet.
Dates for future meetings
The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee usually meets weekly on Tuesdays.
Previous meetings of the committee
Work of the Committee
Current work
Completed work
Correspondence
Correspondence
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill
26 January 2026
A letter to the Convener from the Minister for Victims and Community Safety, 26 January 2026
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
22 January 2026
A letter to the Convener from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, 22 January 2026
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Crime and Policing Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
21 January 2026
A letter from the Convener to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs
Official Reports of meetings
Official Reports of meetings
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instrument subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instrument for Approval by Resolution, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instrument not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instrument subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instrument subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Document subject to Parliamentary Control, Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting date: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instrument subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Document subject to Parliamentary Control
Reports
Committee reports
Published: 27 January 2026
A report on the subordinate legislation considered by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee on 27 January 2026.
Delegated powers in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2)
Published: 23 January 2026
A report by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee of its consideration of the delegated powers in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2)
Published: 22 January 2026
A report on the subordinate legislation considered by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee on 20 January 2026.
Committee Remit
To consider and report on the following (and any additional matter added under Rule 6.1.5A)—
(a) any—
(i) subordinate legislation laid before the Parliament or requiring the consent of the Parliament under section 9 of the Public Bodies Act 2011;
(ii) [deleted]
(iii) pension or grants motion as described in Rule 8.11A.1; and, in particular, to determine whether the attention of the Parliament should be drawn to any of the matters mentioned in Rule 10.3.1;
(b) proposed powers to make subordinate legislation in particular Bills or other proposed legislation;
(c) general questions relating to powers to make subordinate legislation;
(d) whether any proposed delegated powers in particular Bills or other legislation should be expressed as a power to make subordinate legislation;
(e) any failure to lay an instrument in accordance with section 28(2), 30(2) or 31 of the 2010 Act;
(f) proposed changes to the procedure to which subordinate legislation laid before the Parliament is subject;
(g) any Scottish Law Commission Bill as defined in Rule 9.17A.1;
(h) any draft proposal for a Scottish Law Commission Bill as defined in that Rule; and
(i) any Consolidation Bill as defined in Rule 9.18.1 referred to it in accordance with Rule 9.18.3.
Current Members
Stuart McMillan
Convener
Scottish National Party
Bill Kidd
Deputy Convener
Scottish National Party
Jeremy Balfour
Member
Independent
Katy Clark
Member
Scottish Labour
Roz McCall
Member
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Full details of committee membership, including substitute and previous members