Handling of statutory instruments under Standing Order 21.2 and Standing Order 21.3 – 25 March 2020 to 17 April 2020

Standing Orders 21.2 and 21.3 provide that the Legislation, Justice and Constitution (LJC) Committee is the responsible committee that is required to consider and report on technical points in statutory instruments (SIs) (e.g. defective drafting), and also, where it chooses to do so, certain merits points (e.g. political and/or public interest).

On 27 March and 3 April 2020, Business Committee, in accordance with Standing Order 34.22(i), agreed to disapply Standing Orders 21.2 and 21.3 in whole and to put in a place a temporary process for the handling of SIs.  These decisions were part of a broader package of measures introduced to respond to the rapidly-developing Covid-19 public health emergency.

This process was in place from 25 March 2020 to 17 April 2020.