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The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 9 September 2020.
Overview
The purpose of the Bill is to:
- make provision in connection with the internal market for goods and services in the United Kingdom (including provision about the recognition of professional and other qualifications);
- make provision in connection with provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol relating to trade and state aid;
- authorise the provision of financial assistance by Ministers of the Crown in connection with economic development, infrastructure, culture, sport and educational or training activities and exchanges; and
- make regulation of the provision of distortive or harmful subsidies a reserved or excepted matter
Lead Committee: Finance and Constitution Committee
SPICe briefing
SPICe has published a series of blog articles covering the UK Government’s August 2020 White Paper on the UK Internal Market:
- The UK internal market: what is it, do we have one and do we need one?
- The UK internal market proposals: a comparison with the EU approach
- The UK internal market proposals: intergovernmental relations
SPICe has also produced a full briefing on the Bill itself and a series of related blog articles, including:
- The UK Internal Market Bill – the Devolved Administrations responses.
- What might the Internal Market Bill mean for Scotland’s regulatory standards?
- The UK Internal Market Bill – a threat to the circular economy in Scotland?
Legislative Consent Memorandum
The UK Government has indicated that it intends to seek legislative consent from the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government published a Legislative Consent Memorandum on 28 September 2020. In the LCM, the Scottish Government confirms that it does not intend to lodge a legislative consent motion in relation to the Bill and sets out its reasons for this decision.
On 7 October 2020, the Scottish Parliament agreed a motion to refuse consent to the UK Internal Market Bill.