About the Inquiry
The Scottish Government lodged the Trade Bill Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) on 18 August 2020. The LCM confirms that the parts of the Bill which trigger the need for legislative consent are:
- Clause 1 – which provides a power for both UK and the Scottish Ministers (within devolved competence) to make regulations to implement the Agreement on Government Procurement;
- Clause 2 – which provides a power for both UK and the Scottish Ministers (within devolved competence) to make regulations to implement qualifying international trade agreements;
- Clause 9 – which provides that certain public authorities may disclose information for the purpose of facilitating the exercise by a Minister of the Crown of the Minister’s functions relating to trade;
- Part 1 of the Bill also introduces schedules 1-3, which establish and constrain ‘devolved competence’ for the purpose of the exercise of those powers.
The Finance and Constitution Committee is seeking written views on seeking views on the impact of the Trade Bill 2020 and its associated LCM. The closing date for responses is Wednesday 9 September 2020.
Read the call for views
Evidence
On 21 September 2020 the Committee's Internal Market advisor, Professor Kenneth Armstrong, provided a briefing on the Trade Bill 2020 and its Legislative Consent Memorandum
Professor Armstrong's briefing
On 23 September 2020 the Committee took evidence on the Trade Bill 2020 from-
The Rt. Hon. Greg Hands MP, Minister of State for Trade Policy, UK Government
The Committee also took evidence on the Scottish Government's LCM from-
Ivan McKee, Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation on the Scottish Government's LCM.
Correspondence
UK Government response to the Committee's report on the Trade Bill LCM, 28 October 2020 (149KB PDF)
Letter from Ivan McKee, Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation responding to points raised by the Committee's Report published on 7th October, 3 November 2020 (214KB PDF)
Letter from Ivan McKee, Minister for Trade, Innovation and Public Finance on the UK Trade Bill amendment that was considered by the House of Commons on the 9th February and is due to be considered by the house of Lords on 22 February (679KB PDF)