The Law Society has welcomed an apparent government rethink on the Retained EU Law Bill, saying the change of course will be 'good for business'.

Reports suggest the government will publish a list of 800 pieces of retained EU law that it will remove from the UK statute book, far fewer than the 4,000 initially caught by the provisions of the Bill.

Vice president Nick Emmerson said: 'We are relieved the government has listened to the Law Society and others who have called for a rethink of this legislation. While we wait to see which pieces of legislation will be set for removal, it is a positive step for business certainty that the government will provide much needed clarity on the future of individual aspects of retained EU law. Government should publish the full, exhaustive list of every piece of legislation at risk without delay.'

He added: ’The speed at which Government had intended to complete this review was a recipe for bad law-making and, coupled with the bypassing of parliamentary scrutiny and stakeholder consultation, would have created a period of damaging uncertainty. The government must also now confirm an extension of the deadline for reviewing legislation affected by the Retained EU Law Bill so there is more time to properly consider the repercussions in all areas of law.'

Patrick Brodie, head of the employment, engagement and equality practice at international law firm RPC, nevertheless warned that thousands of regulations could still end up on the 'Brexit bonfire'.

He said: 'Reports that the government is rethinking its stance on the Retained EU Law Bill should be treated with caution and some scepticism. The number of laws in immediate peril could be reduced for now, but this might simply be a stay of execution for those that had been previously identified.

'Laws that were at risk of being taken to the guillotine at the end of the year could, after the Bill has passed, still end up on the bonfire. The sunset provisions might change, but otherwise the bill remains the same. The potential for future changes to our laws endures.

'The uncertainty is delayed not removed. The sun will continue to shine on this debate.'

 

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