A senior Tory MP has accused Rishi Sunak of only getting rid of “trivial” and “obsolete” EU-era laws after the Government watered-down its post-Brexit “bonfire” of regulations.
Sir William Cash, a leading Conservative Brexiteer and the chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, has written a letter to the Prime Minister criticising the decision to scale back the plans to scrap the laws.
The Government had pledged to complete the axing of 4,000 regulations by the end of the year but under a new approach just 600 laws will now be revoked, sparking a Brexiteer backlash.
Sir William told Mr Sunak that “almost without exception” the 600 laws which are now being targeted for removal relate to “matters that are trivial, obsolete and are not legally and/or politically important”.
He said that therefore the Government’s new plans “cannot be construed as lightening the regulatory burden for businesses or spurring economic growth”.
Sir William’s letter sets out examples of the “trivial” laws which he said are being revoked, including one which related to “the setting of fishing opportunities for anchovy in the Bay of Biscay for the 2011/2012 fishing season”.
The Government has insisted its new approach to scrapping EU-era laws was “pragmatic and balanced”.
You can follow the latest updates below.
08:16 AM
Senior Tory MP sets out examples of ‘trivial’ EU laws being scrapped by Government
Sir William Cash’s letter to Rishi Sunak criticising the decision to water down the post-Brexit “bonfire” of EU-era laws (see the post below at 08.07) included examples of the “trivial” regulations which he said the Government is planning to get rid of.
Sir William’s examples, which are likely to further fuel anger among Tory Eurosceptic MPs over the Government’s new approach, included laws which relate to:
-
“Temporary exemptions to repealed EU rules on limits to working hours for drivers during the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak”.
-
“Quota rules for the import of 8,000 tonnes of wheat bran originating in the ACP States into the French overseas territory of Réunion; •
-
“Rules on the allocation of fishing opportunities for the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe”.
-
“The setting of fishing opportunities for anchovy in the Bay of Biscay for the 2011/2012 fishing season (it is worth noting that in excess of 150 instances of REUL included in the Schedule relate to fishing).”
08:07 AM
Brexit red tape ‘bonfire’ only includes ‘trivial’ EU laws, senior Tory MP claims
A senior Tory MP has accused Rishi Sunak of only getting rid of “trivial” and “obsolete” EU-era laws after the Government watered-down its post-Brexit “bonfire” of regulations.
Sir William Cash, a leading Conservative Brexiteer and the chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, has written a letter to the Prime Minister criticising the decision to scale back the plans to scrap the laws.
The Government had pledged to complete the axing of 4,000 regulations by the end of the year but under a new approach just 600 laws will now be revoked, sparking a Brexiteer backlash.
Sir William told Mr Sunak that “almost without exception” the 600 laws which are now being targeted for removal relate to “matters that are trivial, obsolete and are not legally and/or politically important”.
He said that therefore the Government’s new plans “cannot be construed as lightening the regulatory burden for businesses or spurring economic growth”.
Source by [author_name]
