Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [HL]

Lord Wigley Excerpts

Report stage
Wednesday 5th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd (CB)]

I do not wish to add to the profoundly detailed and clear analysis that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope of Craighead, has given about the purpose of this proposed new clause; there are just three short points I wish to make.

First, we must look at the context in which this amendment has been put forward. The history of the creation of the internal market was not an altogether happy one, if I might put it mildly. The vision—and it was vision—particularly of the original part of the Conservative Government, to try to create common frameworks which would enable us to work as a co-operative union, has not been properly realised. The machinery to make devolution and the union work has really not been implemented. Finally on this, although this is not, as the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, has explained, the subject of the Sewel convention, let us hope that the spirit of the Sewel convention can be resurrected, both as regards what it should apply to—primary legislation—as well as delegated and secondary legislation.

Secondly, I thank the Government for the very fine words they have spoken in relation to making devolution work, and for the discussions they have obviously been having—with what degree of success one cannot tell from what is available—with the devolved Governments.

Thirdly, however, words are not enough. Men are judged by deeds, and I hope that this Government will show, in the amendments they intend to bring forward, that they really mean what they say about the union and devolution. One cannot underestimate the importance of action by deeds.

We are only just over a year away from important elections in both Scotland and Northern Ireland, and we must be clear when those countries go into those elections that the union is seen to be strong, and that devolution is seen to work. Both are vital for our future. That is what makes what might seem at first sight a technical amendment one of such importance.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, I intervene very briefly on this—as noble Lords would perhaps expect on a matter relating to devolution—in support of the amendment moved by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, and supported by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Thomas.

The points that have been made are very relevant. Although it is in a minority of products within the whole economy that there may be derogations, changes or fine tuning needed to the circumstances in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, in those areas—which include food, cultural and literary products—there is a range of products for which the linguistic dimension has in the past raised questions, when all this came under Brussels, as to what names were or were not acceptable on products in Wales.

There is a sensitivity to this. I have no doubt that the issues can be overcome if there is a mechanism for consultation, but if there is a danger of ignoring the possibility of things going wrong then things will go wrong. Now is the time to address these questions, and I am very grateful that this amendment has been put forward.

[Lord Fox (LD)]

My Lords, I was nearly subject to a flashback, when the when the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, mentioned the internal market Act, to the memory of the long hours, deep into the night, spent debating the shortcomings and problems that Act could create—as, to some extent, it has. We are indebted to the noble and learned Lords, Lord Hope and Lord Thomas, that the framework arrangement was brought into that Act to avoid the clashes that were almost certainly going to occur under its original drafting. We owe them a great debt, and on that basis we should listen when they talk to us on these matters. That is why I was happy to sign the amendment.

Happily, I do not have to add much to this, except that it is necessary. This consultation will happen one way or another. The Minister will know that I specifically asked him when we debated Amendment 9 to confirm from the Dispatch Box that the devolved authorities would be part of the consultation process as set out in the Secretary of State’s statement that will arise from this Bill. I hope that the spirit of this amendment can be in that consultation process and in that statement, so that the devolved authorities know that they will get access, which is very important for all the reasons that have been explained by the noble Lord and the noble and learned Lords.

I have one final point on the Government’s attempt, which I think is sincere, to bring the nations of this country back together again. This is really important for lots of reasons, but it also calls into question how the common frameworks will be used in the future. I do not expect the Minister to answer now but he should set out, in either a letter or a meeting, how those common frameworks will develop. Some people may already know but I am certainly not aware of that. As we know, the future is changing and lots of things are happening. How will the common frameworks and central government’s liaison with the DAs adapt to deal with the changing trading environment? With those provisos, I am happy to support the amendment.