Common UK policy frameworks - Fifth Senedd
Common UK policy frameworks - Fifth Senedd
The Fifth Senedd ended in May 2021.
Discover work relating to Common Frameworks in the Sixth Senedd (2021-2026)
The Fifth Senedd and common frameworks
During the course of the Fifth Senedd, the External Affairs and Additional
Legislation Committee held frequent scrutiny sessions with Welsh and UK
Government ministers to scrutinise the process of framework creation.
The Committee published its report on Common
policy frameworks: Assembly scrutiny, on 9 December 2019. The report
proposes an approach to Senedd scrutiny of UK-wide common policy frameworks.
The Welsh Government responded
to the report on 23 January 2020.
The Committee held a round table discussion with academics
on the scrutiny of UK-wide common policy frameworks on 14 October 2019.
The Committee published a report on UK-wide
common policy frameworks - discussion paper in August 2019. The paper aimed
to provide an overview of what frameworks are and what Senedd committees might
need to consider in terms of scrutiny.
On 3 July 2019, the Counsel General and Brexit Minister wrote
(PDF, 253KB) to the Chairs of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs
Committee, the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, and the
Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee to draw their attention
to the publications, and to state that he welcomed the progress made on common
frameworks.
On 3 July 2019 the UK Government issued a written statement
on common frameworks and intergovernmental relations, announcing the publication
of four documents:
- a
progress report on the formation of the common frameworks;
- a
document outlining key phases necessary to deliver the common frameworks;
- an
outline framework relating to Hazardous Substances Planning; and
- a
set of draft principles for intergovernmental relations.
The Committee held a scrutiny session
with the Counsel General and Brexit Minister on 3 June 2019 at which the
Counsel General and Brexit Minister answered questions about common UK policy
frameworks.
In response, the Committee received a technical briefing
from Welsh Government officials at its meeting on 20 May
2019, and the Counsel General and Brexit Minister followed this up with a letter
to the Chair on 24 May 2019 (PDF, 460KB).
The Chair wrote
(PDF, 380KB) to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister on 7 May 2019 to
request further information on the Welsh Government’s position in relation to
each of the areas identified in the UK Government’s provisional
assessment as intersecting with Welsh devolved competence.
On Monday 14 January 2019, the Committee held an expert
panel evidence
session on the development of common UK policy frameworks and legislating
for Brexit. This was followed up with a further expert panel evidence session
on 17 June 2019, focussing on the scrutiny of common UK policy frameworks.
The Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee published a report on UK common frameworks relating to agriculture and environment in July 2018.
Background
Following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, it
was necessary for the UK Government and the devolved administrations to create common
UK-wide approaches - or ‘frameworks’ - in policy areas that are governed by EU
law, but that are within the competence of the devolved administrations or
legislatures.
On 16 October 2017, the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU
negotiations) published a communique
(PDF, 71.8KB) that set out the principles that would govern the frameworks.
The communique stated that common frameworks would be
established where they were necessary in order to:
- enable
the functioning of the UK internal market, while acknowledging policy
divergence;
- ensure
compliance with international obligations;
- ensure
the UK can negotiate, enter into and implement new trade agreements and
international treaties;
- enable
the management of common resources;
- administer
and provide access to justice in cases with a cross-border element;
- safeguard
the security of the UK.
On 9 March 2018, the UK Government published a provisional assessment
(PDF, 197KB) of areas of EU law that intersected with devolved
competence in each devolved administration
The framework analysis covered 153 different policy areas, including
agriculture and environmental policy, and concluded that there were:
- 49
areas where no further action was required;
- 82
areas where non-legislative frameworks may be required;
- 24
areas where legislative common framework arrangements might be needed.
The analysis also concluded that there are 12 policy areas
that the UK Government believed to be reserved but that were subject to
‘ongoing discussion’ with the devolved governments. These included protected
food names and state aid.
On 4 April 2019, the UK Government published a revised breakdown (PDF, 342KB) of the areas of EU law that intersect with the devolved administrations.
Business type: Common Framework
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
First published: 11/01/2019
Documents
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition regarding common frameworks – 27 January 2021 PDF 168 KB
- Responses to the Committee’s Recommendations - 23 January 2020
- Common policy frameworks: Assembly scrutiny - December 2019
- UK-wide common policy frameworks: discussion paper - August 2019
- Correspondence from the Counsel General and Brexit Minister to the Chair regarding intergovermental relations and common frameworks - 3 July 2019 PDF 253 KB
- Correspondence from the Counsel General and Brexit Minister to the Chair regarding response to the framework analysis - 24 May 2019 PDF 460 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair of the External Affairs Committee to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister regarding revised framework analysis - 7 May 2019 PDF 380 KB
- Correspondence from the Counsel General and Brexit Minister to the Chair of the External Affairs Committee regarding UK common frameworks analysis - 4 April 2019 PDF 156 KB
- CCERA Related Documents
- Correspondence from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs regarding The Phytosanitary Conditions (Amendment) Regulations 2021 - 24 March 2021 PDF 283 KB
- Restricted enclosure View reasons restricted
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs - 10 February 2021 PDF 175 KB
- Restricted enclosure View reasons restricted
- Correspondence from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs on the reclassification of Common Frameworks – 13 October 2020 PDF 302 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for Housing and Local Government - 19 July 2019 PDF 79 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs - 19 July 2019 PDF 79 KB
- Correspondence from the Chair to the Minister for the Economy and Transport - 19 July 2019 PDF 79 KB
- Correspondence from Minister for Housing and Local Government to the Chair - 28 August 2019 PDF 269 KB
- Correspondence from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to the Chair - 30 August 2019 PDF 536 KB
- Correspondence from the Minister for the Economy and Transport to the Chair - 26 September 2019 PDF 365 KB