Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Retained EU Law: Trading Standards

12 January 2023 · 2 other contributors

Opened by David Linden Lab Glasgow East

EconomyBrexitBusiness Compliance

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Linden raised concerns about retained eu law: trading standards in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Michelle McKenna raises concerns about the impact of Brexit on consumer and product safety regulations as a trading standards officer.
  • David Linden argues that reviewing nearly 4000 pieces of EU legislation by December 2023 is unrealistic and risks losing important consumer protections.
  • The Minister asserts that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill aims to improve regulatory agility and reassert parliamentary sovereignty over retained EU law.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Linden Lab Glasgow East

The debate addresses concerns raised by Michelle McKenna, a trading standards officer in Garrowhill, about the impact of Brexit on consumer and product safety regulations. David Linden argues that despite claims during the referendum campaign about over-regulation from EU directives, these laws are crucial for ensuring food, product safety, environmental protections, and workers’ rights. He highlights fears that the Government’s plan to review close to 4,000 pieces of critical EU legislation by December this year is unrealistic and could lead to a loss of important consumer protections. Linden also notes concerns from organisations such as the Chartered Trading Standards Institute about the current timetable for the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill and calls on the Government to adopt a phased approach, considering public priorities like cost-of-living issues over regulatory reform.

Other contributors (2)
  • Patrick Grady Lab Glasgow North

    Agrees that Glasgow constituents voted to remain in the EU and criticises the rushed nature of Brexit, emphasising potential risks to safety standards.

  • Jo Gideon Lab Stoke-on-Trent Central

    Supports efforts to remove unsafe toys from circulation due to regulatory powers, stressing the importance of such interventions.

Government Response

Graham Stuart

The Minister responds by asserting that the Government’s aim is not to reduce consumer protections or trading standards effectiveness. He introduces the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill as an important step towards improving regulatory agility in response to issues such as defective products. Stuart claims this will reassert parliamentary sovereignty over retained EU law, ending its special status by December 2023. He dismisses concerns about unachievable timelines and criticises opposition parties for promoting separatism and opposing the democratic result of the Brexit referendum.

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