AG Decision Procedures

A step of type Decision.

There are 5 procedures.

1. Treaties subject to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010

   A treaty may be ratified if the Commons does not resolve against ratification within 21 sitting days. A Minister may extend this period. If the Commons resolves against ratification, a Minister may make a statement in disagreement, following which the Commons may consider for a further 21 sitting days. Even if the Lords resolves against ratification, a Minister may make a statement that the treaty be ratified. A Minister may determine a treaty be ratified without it being laid before Parliament.

2. Draft affirmative

   Instruments subject to the draft affirmative procedure are laid in draft and require approval in Parliament before being signed into law. Instruments concerning taxation are not laid in the Lords and only require the approval of the Commons. The Commons debates the instrument in a Delegated Legislation Committee or in the Commons Chamber, where a decision on approval is made. The Lords debates the instrument in Grand Committee or in the Lords Chamber, where a decision on approval is made.

3. Proposed negative statutory instrument

   A Minister may exercise powers under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 or the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 to propose that instruments be subject to the proposed negative procedure. After a proposed negative instrument has been laid, each House has ten sitting days in which it may consider the instrument and agree with the proposal of the Minister, or instead recommend the instrument be subject to the draft affirmative procedure. In the Commons, the instrument is considered by the European Statutory Instruments Committee. In the Lords, the instrument is considered by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. Any result of consideration does not bind a Minister, who must nevertheless make a written statement if disagreeing with a recommendation of a committee.

4. Published draft under European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Repealed)

   Paragraphs 13-15 of Schedule 8 to the European (Withdrawal) Act 2018 set up a a two-stage affirmative procedure for any instruments to amend or revoke secondary legislation originally made under the European Communities Act 1972 (most Directives were implemented that way). First the statutory instrument had to be published in draft for 28 days to allow for comment. Second, when the instrument was formally laid, the Minister was required to make a "scrutiny statement" setting out the Government response to any recommendations made by a parliamentary committee on the draft, and any other representations on the instrument. The instrument laid did need not be identical to the published draft, if it made amendments as a result of that consultation. Only 20 instruments used the procedure and it was abolished by sec 10 (1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.

5. Legislative Reform Order

   Legislative Reform Orders (LROs) are a specific type of delegated legislation that the Government can use to remove or reduce burdens that result directly or indirectly from legislation, or to promote principles of better regulation. They are made under terms set out in the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 and are subject to scrutiny by a special committee in each House.