Thank you for contacting me about the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill also known as the Repeal Bill.
The Prime Minister has been clear that she wishes to minimise disruption to businesses and individuals as the UK leaves the EU. That is why the Repeal Bill is being introduced and why I support it. This bill will transfer EU law, including the case law of the European Court of Justice, into UK law at the point of the UK's departure from the EU. This will make sure that the UK has a functioning statute book when it leaves the EU and it will provide the maximum amount of certainty, control and continuity.
The Bill will also give ministers in the UK Government and in the devolved administrations a temporary power to make legal corrections to transposed EU legislation. This will be time-limited to two years after exit day. Parliament or the devolved legislatures will also be able to scrutinise any statutory instrument made under this power. I must emphasise that the power could only be used to make corrections to transposed law, for example, by removing references in transposed EU law to the UK as a member state of the EU. The Bill is not intended as a vehicle for major policy changes.
The EU (Withdrawal) Bill has eight days in Committee of the whole House of Commons with eight hours debate protected on each day. It will also be debated at length on the floor of House of Lords. The Bill will provide a base for the UK's departure from the EU. There will be a large number of subsequent Bills on new policies, systems and processes that relate to the UK's departure from the EU, so there will be many opportunities for MPs throughout the House to have their views taken into account.
There will, of course, be a time-limited implementation period as we leave the EU. A cliff-edge for business and individuals would not be in anyone's interests neither in the UK nor EU.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
