Part of Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:15 pm ar 30 Ionawr 2018.
On another occasion—perhaps not here—I am more than happy to debate that issue and have that conversation with the Minister. Indeed, if he wants to have that discussion in the Committee, we are more than happy to do so when we debate another amendment. I am sure that he would be delighted with that.
We tabled amendment 126 following the report by the Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee on the Bill. I am sure that everyone has read that report, which is really interesting. The Committee analysed the powers created by the Bill and decided that it
“involves a massive transfer of power from the House of Commons to Ministers of the Crown.”
The report specifically states that clause 19 should be subject to an affirmative procedure:
“Clause 19 allows the Treasury to make regulations providing for full or partial relief from a liability to pay import duty. Given the importance of this matter and the scope of the regulations (relief can be given in the regulations by reference to ‘any factor’), we consider that these regulations should be subject to an affirmative procedure.”
Amendment 126 responds specifically to that suggestion by a cross-party group of experts in the Lords. I hope that, on that basis alone, the Minister considers taking up the amendment ahead of Report stage.