LIBERAL Democrats in the House of Lords will today attempt to put the controversial Internal Market Bill proposals “on ice” until all four nations are in agreement.
The UK Government plans for an internal trade after the post-Brexit transition period expires at the end of the year have been branded a threat to devolution.
The Scottish Government has repeatedly said it will not support the plans.
Scottish Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords will put forward a major amendment to the plans that would suspend the Bill’s implementation until agreement has been reached on the operation of the internal market frameworks.
READ MORE: Internal Market Bill could ‘destabilise’ devolution, peers warn
Lord Malcolm Bruce of Bennachie said: “The Liberal Democrat group in the House of Lords are presenting this consensus amendment to avert the entirely avoidable confusion this Bill will inflict on businesses in its present form.
“The implementation of these proposals needs to be put on ice until the UK Government and devolved administrations can come to agreement. The business community mustn’t suffer while these details are ironed out.
“Both of Scotland’s governments have a responsibility to ensure this relationship works smoothly in practice.”
If approved, the amendment would require the UK Government to secure agreement in a memorandum of understanding on the operation internal market frameworks, robust dispute resolution mechanisms, agreed exclusions from the market access principals and proposals for oversight councils with representatives from all four nations.
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