Chamber and committees

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.

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Next meeting of the committee

Start time: 10:00am, Tuesday 17 March 2026

Location: T1.40-CR5 The Smith Room

Agenda:

Decision on taking business in private
Instruments subject to negative procedure
Instruments not subject to any parliamentary procedure
Crime and Policing Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
Tobacco and Vapes Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
Representation of the People Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
Framework legislation and Henry VIII powers

Full agenda and other meeting papers

Dates for future meetings

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee usually meets weekly on Tuesdays.

Previous meetings of the committee

See all meetings of the committee

Work of the Committee

Work of the Committee: Current work

Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill

Framework legislation and Henry VIII powers

Scottish Statutory Instrument Tracker

Work of the Committee: Completed work

Inquiry into use of the made affirmative procedure during the coronavirus pandemic

Judicial Factors (Scotland) Bill

Leases (Automatic Continuation etc.) (Scotland) Bill

Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill

Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Bill

Work of the Committee: Correspondence

Correspondence

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

11 March 2026

A letter to the Convener from the Minister for Parliamentary Business, 11 March 2026

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (UK Parliament legislation)

10 March 2026

A letter from the Convener to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, 10 March 2026

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (UK Parliament legislation)

10 March 2026

A letter from the Convener to the Chair of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, 10 March 2026

See all of this committee's correspondence

Work of the Committee: Official Reports of meetings

Official Reports of meetings

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016, Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016 (Modifications) Resolution 2026

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Made Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Document subject to Parliamentary Control

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 17, 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, February 10, 2026

Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Proposed Draft Instrument subject to Consultation

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Decision on Taking Business in Private, Instruments subject to Affirmative Procedure, Instruments subject to Negative Procedure, Instruments not subject to Parliamentary Procedure, Contract (Formation and Remedies) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, January 27, 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 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

See all of this committee's Official Reports

Work of the Committee: Reports

Committee reports

Instruments considered by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee during the third quarter of the Parliamentary Year 2025-26

Published: 11 March 2026

This report sets out the Committee's consideration of all instruments during 18 November 2025 to 26 January 2026.

Delegated powers in the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2)

Published: 11 March 2026

A report by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee of its consideration of the delegated powers in the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2)

Delegated powers in the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2)

Published: 11 March 2026

A report by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee of its consideration of the delegated powers in the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill (as amended at Stage 2)

See all of this committee's reports

Work of the Committee: Committee Remit

To consider and report on the following (and any additional matter added under Rule 6.1.5A)—

any—
subordinate legislation laid before the Parliament or requiring the consent of the Parliament under section 9 of the Public Bodies Act 2011;

[deleted]
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;

proposed powers to make subordinate legislation in particular Bills or other proposed legislation;
general questions relating to powers to make subordinate legislation;
whether any proposed delegated powers in particular Bills or other legislation should be expressed as a power to make subordinate legislation;
any failure to lay an instrument in accordance with section 28(2), 30(2) or 31 of the 2010 Act;
proposed changes to the procedure to which subordinate legislation laid before the Parliament is subject;
any Scottish Law Commission Bill as defined in Rule 9.17A.1;
any draft proposal for a Scottish Law Commission Bill as defined in that Rule; and
any Consolidation Bill as defined in Rule 9.18.1 referred to it in accordance with Rule 9.18.3.