Good morning,
History was made this week with the first ever remote PMQs and MPs approving a move to a virtual Parliament. As Parliament has returned from recess we explore what’s happening to key Brexit Bills. We also have events for you! Over the next few weeks, we will be hosting Brexit Answers: A Q&A discussion series bringing policy experts to civil society organisations. Full details below.
Enjoy,
Jacob
In Politics
Virtual Parliament Is In Session
Virtual Parliament mostly works
Still no remote voting
Questions remain over effective scrutiny
Virtual Parliament is live! This week saw the first ever remote Prime Ministers Questions, though it was without the Prime Minister who is still recovering at Chequers. A mostly empty house except for a few key figures such as Dominic Raab, stepping in for the PM, and Keir Starmer with everyone else remoting in via Zoom. The focus of the session was naturally on Coronavirus.
Select Committees also have moved to virtual sessions with minimal people physically in the room.
Political commentators seem to agree that the virtual parliament mostly works. There have been the usual technology problems, some MPs have been cut out mid speech most memorably by Julie Elliott MP getting cut out while asking about poor broadband provisions in Sunderland.
Meanwhile remote voting is moving slowly ahead. Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed that it will not be in place next week when legislation is debated and said that the use of remote voting needs to be debated by the Commons Procedure Committee to see if it is workable. He did however, go on to say that no divisions (votes) will be tabled while the method is being discussed.
There still remain key questions about accountability and scrutiny of the Government. For instance David Mundell was due to ask a question at PMQs but due to connection issues wasn’t able to. He did not get a chance later in the session. While PMQs provide questionable effective scrutiny at best, it is the most prominent bit of Commons scrutiny to the public. If remote voting, and questioning continues to have problems then there will continue to be big issues when it comes to scrutiny of key legislation.
In Policy
Brexit Legislation
Coronavirus has delayed Brexit legislation
Key Bills in different stages
None are likely to be passed soon
Brexit has rightly taken a backseat from the frontpages, and the policy agenda, due to Coronavirus. As Parliament returned from its Easter Recess this week, we are having a look at where some of the crucial Brexit bills are in the legislative process. The Institute for Government has a thorough explainer on all the bills here.
Immigration and Social Security Coordination Bill
What does it do? This bill ends Freedom of Movement. It does not introduce the new immigration system that will replace it. The new rules will be provided for via ‘Immigration Rules’ which are similar to secondary legislation. The Bill also gives the Secretary of State broad ‘Henry VIII’ powers to amend primary legislation.
Where is it? This has been postponed. It was due to come to the Commons for its second reading this Tuesday, however, Jacob Rees-Mogg announced a delay to it due to the launch of the virtual Parliament and coronavirus uncertainty.
Key things to note: If this is not passed before the end of the transition period Freedom of Movement continues.
Agriculture Bill
What does it do? This sets out how the UK will leave the Common Agricultural Policy and creates a new payment system to replace it in England and Northern Ireland. It will also give powers to Northern Irish Ministers of the UK Government whereas it is devolved in Scotland and Wales.
Where is it? It is in the report stage with a date due to be announced. It finished the Committee Stage on the 6th March.
Key things to note: The DEFRA Secretary of State has previously said that the bill needs to pass by summer 2020 to give enough time for the new system to be set up before the end of the transition period. UK in a Changing Europe look into the Bill in more detail here
Environment Bill
What does it do? This Bill will set up the crucial Office of Environmental Protection (OEP). This is to solve the governance gap left by leaving the EU and its institutions.
Where is it? The Environment Bill had moved to Committee Stage however the Coronavirus has delayed this. You can find the makeup of the committee here
Key things to note: The establishment of the OEP will take time and needs to be ready before the end of the transition period. Without this body there will be a governance gap with potentially negative effects on the environment as investigations into complaints will not be carried out.
Fisheries Bill
What does it do? This bill enables the UK to create its own fishing policy when the UK leaves the Common Fisheries Policy. It is the Bill that deals with one of the core campaign asks of the Leave campaign.
Where is it? This Bill started in the House of Lords and is at the Report Stage. It has yet to receive a date for that. It will then proceed to the House of Commons.
Key things to note: Greener UK have produced useful briefings for the Bill as it passed through examination by the Lords. You can find them here.
Trade Bill
What does it do? Allows the UK to roll over current trade deals that the UK is part of via membership of the EU. It does not do anything for future trade deals. For more information, House of Commons Library briefing is available here.
Where is it? This bill received its first reading on the 19th March before the lockdown. It is waiting for a date to be announced for the second reading.
Key things to note: As the Trade Justice Movement points out, this Bill does not transfer scrutiny and ratification powers from the EU to Parliament. It gives them to Whitehall, while also giving them wide ranging levels of delegated powers. This means that scrutiny of trade deals in the future would be minimal at best.
Unless these pieces of legislation are in place by the end of the transition period, we could end up seeing gaps in certain policy areas, particularly across agriculture, immigration and fisheries. Time is indeed starting to run short for enabling all these Brexit bills to go through Parliament in a way that receives the necessary scrutiny from Parliament before the end of 2020.
In Events
Brexit Answers
Brexit Answers is a series of online Q&A discussions, hosted by Brexit Civil Society Alliance, to bring policy experts and civil society organisations together.
In these difficult and uncertain times, Brexit is quite rightly taking a back seat but, unless it changes, the UK is still set to leave the transition period at the end of 2020. What comes after is currently unknown as the future relationship between the EU and the UK is being negotiated. During this civil society faces uncertainty about the impacts Brexit will have on their organisations and the communities it works with.
These online discussions are an opportunity to get your questions answered, better understand and prepare for the impacts of Brexit and connect with other organisations from across the UK.
We will cover the following topics throughout the Brexit Answers series:
Disability rights and Brexit - Tuesday 12th May. 10:00 to 11:30
Replacement of EU Funding: The UK Shared Prosperity Fund - Thursday 14th May, 10:00 to 11:30
EU Settlement Scheme- how can organisations support EU citizens? - Wednesday 27th May, 10:00 to 11:30
The Future Relationship, Transition period and Trade - Thursday 28th May, 10:00 to 11:30
Legal changes arising from Brexit - Tuesday 2nd June, 10:00 to 11:30
Experts will be joining us, to answer questions, from a wide range of organisations including:
The Shaw Trust
Inclusion Scotland
Equally Ours
Wales Council for Voluntary Action
AIRE Centre
New Europeans
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
Trade Justice Movement
Public Law Project
Institute for Public Policy Research
If you would like to attend a session sign up for a ticket and we will send you the online session details. You can also submit a question to ask our experts in advance of the sessions.
Recommended Reading
UK in a Changing Europe explore the case for a transition period extension here
Civil Service grandees call for Brexit transition extension in Prospect here
Lloyds Bank Foundation England and Wales have support for charities during COVID-19 here
UNISON your rights at work during Coronavirus here
WIRED dig into the new e-voting system here
London’s funders are working together to provide coordinated funding to support groups responding to the needs of communities in the capital affected by the covid-19 pandemic. More information is available here.