Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Members of the Senedd will wish to be aware that I have given consent to the Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets Department for Business and Trade to exercise a subordinate legislation-making power in devolved areas in relation to Wales.
Agreement was sought by the Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets Department for Business and Trade to make a Statutory Instrument (SI) titled the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025.
The above titled Statutory Instrument (SI) was laid before the UK Parliament by the Minister of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business on 27 January in exercise of powers conferred by Section 19(1) of the Retained EU Law (REUL) (Revocation and Reform) Act.
The SI is aimed at ensuring legal clarity and accessibility by making consequential amendments to secondary legislation related to the “assimilation” of retained EU law at the end of 2023 under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023. The SI was laid before the UK Parliament 27 January with a commencement date of 27 February 2025
Impact the instrument may have on the Senedd’s legislative competence and/or the Welsh Ministers’ executive competence:
The Regulations do not diminish or undermine the powers of Welsh Ministers in any way, and they do not create, amend or remove any functions of Ministers. The Regulations do not amend instruments made under Acts of Senedd Cymru.
I would like to reassure the Senedd it is normally the policy of the Welsh Government to legislate for Wales in matters of devolved competence. However, in certain circumstances there are benefits in working collaboratively with the UK Government where there is a clear rationale for doing so. On this occasion, I have given my consent to these Regulations for reasons of accessibility, efficiency and cross-government coordination, and consistency.
The Regulations are available here: The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025