Draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill

Ed Davey Excerpts

Tuesday 24th May 2011 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Mr Edward Davey)]

The Government are publishing today the draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill and has invited pre-legislative scrutiny of it by Parliament. The groceries code adjudicator will be responsible for ensuring compliance with the groceries supply code of practice which is designed to curb abuses of power in the groceries supply chain and protect the long-term interests of consumers. The House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee has expressed its willingness to conduct such scrutiny.

Copies of a document setting out the Government’s policy for a groceries code adjudicator and the final regulatory impact assessment are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill is presented in a way that helps wider understanding of the purpose of the proposed new law and how it would work. This is part of the Government’s commitment to increase transparency and accountability of Parliament to the public. The Bill is drafted in simpler language and an explanation is given alongside each part of the legal text.

It is hoped that this approach will allow those affected by the legislation, parliamentarians, interested groups and the public, to engage more actively in the legislative process and understand the impacts of the Bill, without compromising its legal clarity and force.

The Government will be able to consider the suitability of the approach for other Bills in the light of the views they receive on this exercise.