Letter from the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, 28 February 2022
I am writing to inform the Committee that Scottish Ministers have lodged a further Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum for the UK Professional Qualifications Bill (“the Bill”).
Despite ongoing efforts by Scottish Ministers, you will see that UK Ministers have confirmed their intention to override the Sewel Convention and continue the passage of the Bill without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. As part of this, UK Ministers have published a ‘Consultation with devolved authorities’ amendment to the Bill, and the Supplementary LCM concerns this amendment.
The Bill will not be amended by UK Ministers to include a legislative requirement for UK Ministers to obtain consent from the Scottish Ministers before exercising the concurrent powers conferred by the Bill in devolved areas. The Scottish Parliament debated the Bill on 10 February, with Parliament agreeing consent should not be granted to the Bill without the addition of a consent provision.
Report Stage for The Bill in the House of Commons will be tomorrow, 1 March 2022.