- Navigate to the ‘Statutory Instruments‘ page. This page lists all of the active Statutory Instruments to be considered by the Committee.
- Click on the title of the Statutory Instrument that you wish to submit your comment.
- Enter your comments in the comments box.
- Fill out the form field boxes, which includes name, email address and organisation (this is optional).
Will my comment appear instantaneously?
No, comments will be moderated before they are published on the site.
What should I include in my comments?
The Committee’s agreed terms of reference instruct it to consider whether any instrument contains provisions which, under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act, require it to be subject to the affirmative procedure, and whether it otherwise merits being subject to the affirmative procedure. Your comments are welcome in both these areas. In making its decisions the Committee is likely to consider:
- Whether the instrument proposes a change which is legally important—that is, whether it proposes to amend existing law or make new law in a way which is significant;
- Whether the instrument is politically important—for instance, whether the Government is proposing a legislative change which involves a change in policy which merits further debate before it is approved; and
- Whether a proposed change in legislation, taken together with other proposals, is significant enough to require further scrutiny.
How should I structure my submission?
It is suggested that the information you provide is in the form of answers to the following questions:
- Will this proposed instrument make a substantial change to how the law will operate in the UK in the future? [300 words max]
- If so, what change will it make and what effect will that change have? [300 words max]
- What are your reasons for considering that the changes made by the SI would have potentially significant consequences that should be debated by Parliament? [300 words max]
Please include your name and whether you are representing an organisation.
How much time do I have?
The Committee will have 10 sitting days, beginning the day after the proposed negative instrument is laid, to scrutinise the instrument and make their recommendations. This means the time available for comment will vary. The gov.uk website gives details of the ‘sift end date’ for each instrument. However, it is likely that in most cases the Committee will consider the instrument ahead of this date. The Committee team will be happy to provide assistance on the deadlines for each individual instrument to ensure the Committee can take account of your views.
What happens after I submit my comments?
The Committee Clerks will summarise comments and provide them to the Committee. It will form part of the information available to the Committee to consider when coming to its decisions.
Will all comments be accepted?
The Clerk of the Committee decides what information is provided to the Committee in order for it to do its work.
How can I keep track of the Committee’s decisions?
The Committee will publish the outcome of its work in reports following every meeting which will appear on the Committee’s website.
How can I keep track of Statutory Instruments?
The Parliament website has a new feature which allows you to find all statutory instruments and follow their progress.