Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Official Report 663KB pdf

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018

UK Statistics (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

Agenda item 5 is consideration of a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating using the powers under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 in relation to the proposed UK Statistics (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.

The notification relates to amendments that would repeal retained EU laws relating to EU statistics and that would correct deficiencies arising from the UK’s EU exit to ensure the continued functioning of the UK’s legal framework. That would enable the UK’s official statistical system to produce official statistics in the event that the UK left the EU without an agreement to include the UK in the European statistical system.

The notification suggests that it is a category A proposal, which is one that is technical, with minimum policy choice or only one obvious policy solution. Does the committee agree to those matters being dealt with by a statutory instrument laid at Westminster?

Members indicated agreement.

I will write to the cabinet secretary, notifying him of the committee’s decision.