United Kingdom Internal Market Bill — House of Commons, 2020-09-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Amendment 11, page 36, line 34, after "Parliament" insert "upon the approval of the relevant devolved authorities" Amendment 19, page 37, line 3, at end insert— "(1A) If provision to be made by a Minister of the Crown under subsection (1) would relate to any matter for which a relevant body has legislative competence, the provision may only be made after that body has approved a motion consenting to that provision (1B) In this section, a "relevant body" is— (a) the Scottish Parliament, (b) Senedd Cymru, or (c) the Northern Ireland Assembly (1C) A matter is within the devolved competence of a relevant body if it would be within the legislative competence of that body if it were contained in an Act of that body." Amendment 20, page 37, line 4, at end insert— ‘(1A) Any financial assistance provided under this section must be consistent with the achievement of any climate and environmental goals and targets applicable in the relevant part or parts of the United Kingdom." The intention of this amendment is to ensure that financial assistance for economic development, etc under this Act is consistent with the achievement of applicable climate and environmental goals and targets. Clause 46 stand part Amendment 23, in clause 47, page 37, line 23, leave out "take the form" and insert "be provided by way" This amendment, together with Amendment 24, would allow financial assistance under Clause 46 to take any form. Amendment 24, page 37, line 23, after "indemnities" insert "or in any other form" This amendment, together with Amendment 23, would allow financial assistance under Clause 46 to take any form. Amendment 25, page 37, line 25, after "interest" insert "or other return" This amendment would ensure that the Minister could provide financial assistance in a way that generates a return other than interest - which might be the case for investment in investment funds. Amendment 26, page 37, line 26, at end insert— "(d) may be provided to an investment fund for onward investment or administrative costs relating to onward investment." This amendment would enable the Minister to provide financial assistance to investment funds for onward investment. Amendment 12, page 37, line 26, at end insert— "(1A) In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, powers over the administration and management of financial assistance under section 46 shall be fully devolved to Senedd Cymru, the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively (1B) The total amounts made available for financial assistance under section 46 must be pre-allocated based on each nation’s relative wealth expressed as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita (1C) The total amounts made available for financial assistance under section 46 must take the form of a multi-annual funding programme to allow long-term planning and funding security." This amendment is intended to ensure that the administration and management of funding for financial assistance shall be entirely devolved to the devolved legislatures, that funding levels shall be pre-allocated according to need, and that there shall be a multi-annual funding programme for funding financial assistance under this Act. Amendment 14, page 37, line 29, at end, insert— "(3A) Financial assistance under section 46 must be the subject of a framework agreement to be agreed by resolution of each House of Parliament." The intention of this amendment is to provide a policy framework for the allocation of financial assistance. Amendment 15, page 37, line 29, at end, insert— "(3B) The Treasury must include in the Estimates presented to the House of Commons proposals for funding each of the devolved administrations to provide financial assistance for the purposes set out in section 46 in relation to the areas of the United Kingdom covered by that devolved administration." The intention of this amendment is to ensure that devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are funded to provide financial assistance under this Act. Amendment 16, page 37, line 29, at end, insert— "(3C) Any financial assistance provided under section 46 in relation to areas of the United Kingdom covered by a devolved administration must be subject to allocation by the relevant devolved administration." The intention of this amendment is to ensure that devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland retain current powers over devolved matters. Amendment 22, page 37, line 29, at end insert— "(3) No enactment or rule of law prior to the passing of this Act prevents financial assistance being provided under section 46 to any person in Northern Ireland." This amendment is intended to ensure that Part 6 of the Act will apply to Northern Ireland in the same way as to the other parts of the United Kingdom. Clause 47 stand part.