UK Government reveals more than 20 devolved areas it wants control of after Brexit
3 min read
UK ministers have been accused of a "power grab" after confirming they want to take back control of more than 24 areas which are currently devolved after Brexit.
The Government said it must regain responsibility for things like animal welfare, chemicals regulation, fisheries management and food labelling for a temporary period after Britain quits the EU.
The vast majority of the 100-plus powers returning from Brussels will come under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly.
But the heads of the Scottish and Welsh governments have insisted that they should take control of all of them, sparking a long-running row.
Cabinet Office minister David Lidington said it was necessary for Westminster to take back responsibility for some previously-devolved areas in order to maintain the integrity of the UK-wide single market.
He even warned that prices in the shops could go up if the Government did not act.
Mr Lidington told BBC Scotland: "There is a much smaller group of powers where the devolved governments will be required to follow current EU laws for a little bit longer while we work out a new UK approach."
He added: "What will not help either customers or producers is to have different sets of food labelling or food hygiene or safety regulations in different parts of the UK.
"All that does is add to costs, loss of jobs amongst producers and it leads to less choice, probably a higher price for consumers.
"The same applies with manufacturers, if you're a paint manufacturer in Wales you've got to stick to some chemical standards in producing your paint, but you want those to be the same as the paint standards in Scotland or Northern Ireland because you are a customer there. It just makes sense that we do so much trade in internal borders in the UK that we have a set of common sense rules agreed.
"I hope between the different governments, laid out in legislation, that means producers and consumers will benefit."
But Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell hit out at the Government announcement.
He said: "This list simply confirms the UK government's plans for a power grab. Under the EU Withdrawal Bill the UK will have the right to take control of any of the powers on this list.
"However, the publications of the categories demonstrates the threat is most immediate in key devolved areas such as agriculture, GM crops, fishing, environmental policy, public procurement, food standards and a range of other areas.
"Unless the bill is changed, Westminster could soon be in control of these policies, amounting to a major power-grab and a re-writing of the devolution settlement the people of Scotland voted for so decisively."
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