Letter from the Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, 3 March 2022
I am writing to give you an update on my position in relation to the above Bill.
As you are aware the Scottish Government lodged a Legislative Consent Memorandum on 25 October 2021. In the memorandum and during the evidence session with Committee on 19 January 2022, we intimated that Scottish Ministers could not recommend to the Scottish Parliament to give its consent to the Bill on the basis that satisfactory amendments are required to remove agriculture from the scope of the Bill and to give parity to the devolved administrations with the proposed Secretary of State powers.
The Bill is at House of Lords Report stage, which we expect to commence on 22 March. We have no indication yet of when Third Reading might be. I understand however that it remains BEIS intention to secure Royal Assent around the end of April / beginning of May with a view to introducing the new regime in the autumn.
Despite our clear and consistent messages on the above points, the UK Government has failed to table the necessary amendments or offer acceptable ‘concessions’. I therefore remain of the view that legislative consent cannot be recommended and propose that a non-9B debate take place on or around 17 March.
I would be happy to discuss this with you if that would be helpful.