Legislative Consent: Northern Ireland Protocol Bill

The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill (the Bill) was introduced in the House of Commons on 13 June 2022.

The long title to the Bill notes that it is a Bill to “make provision about the effect in domestic law of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland in the EU withdrawal agreement, about other domestic law in subject areas dealt with by the Protocol and for connected purposes.”

The Bill is subject to the legislative consent process under Standing Order 29. This is when the consent of the Welsh Parliament is sought by the UK Government to legislate on an issue which falls within the competence of the Senedd.

This Bill fell when the 2022-2023 session of Parliament was prorogued, and will make no further progress.

Legislative Consent Memorandum – September 2022

The Welsh Government laid a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) (PDF 289KB) on the Bill before the Senedd on 29 September 2022.

The Business Committee referred the LCM to the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee, the

Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee and the Legislation,

Justice and Constitution Committee with a reporting deadline of 7 November 2022 (PDF 46KB).

On 28 October 2022, the Business Committee agreed (PDF 67.7 KB) a new reporting deadline of 14 November 2022.

The Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee laid its report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on 27 October 2022.

On 8 November  2022, the Business Committee agreed (PDF 56.3 KB) a new reporting deadline of 21 November 2022.

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee laid its report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum (PDF 237KB) on 9 November 2022.