The regulation of organic products, and of genetically modified organisms, is based on EU law. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 brings this EU law into UK statute, so that it will continue to have effect after the end of the transition period. Amendments since have ensured that the retained law refers to the UK system, not the EU. However, under the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland will remain subject to the EU’s laws. This article looks at two statutory instruments that further amend the 2019 regulations so that they refer only to Great Britain, enabling Northern Ireland to continue to meet EU law.
Documents to download
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Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages (166 KB, PDF)
The Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill is a government bill that would prohibit the use of wild animals in travelling circuses. The bill defines a wild animal as one that is not commonly domesticated in Great Britain. The bill would ban the performance or exhibit of a wild animal and provide various powers of inspection of circus premises.
There has been longstanding debate about the ethics of using wild animals in circuses and successive governments have made commitments to introduce a ban. The use of wild animals in circuses is currently regulated by the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012. The regulations require all circuses using wild animals to be licensed and to adhere to a range of animal welfare and inspection requirements. The regulations contained a sunset clause and are due to expire in January 2020.
This briefing summarises the bill’s provisions, the policy background, and the bill’s House of Commons stages.
Related Links
Documents to download
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Wild Animals in Circuses (No. 2) Bill: Briefing for Lords Stages (166 KB, PDF)
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This government bill would introduce measures to support the UK in implementing an independent trade policy, having left the European Union.
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Xylella fastidiosa is a bacteria that can cause severe disease and death in certain plants. This article explains what the disease is and discusses recent restrictions on plant imports that the UK Government has imposed to reduce the risk of it being introduced to the UK. Xylella is due to be the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 8 July 2020.
