Member

Many of the provisions made under the powers in the Bill will relate to routine, highly technical and discrete updates or changes where expert industry or independent scientific advice may be required. A recent example relates to pressure equipment regulations. I know I am not allowed to use props here, but I have a copy of these technical regulations with me; I am happy to share them with all noble Lords who are interested in them. They amended essential safety requirements so that competent bodies certifying personnel and materials can be based either in the UK or the European Economic Area. These regulations comprise six parts and 12 schedules, totalling over 70 pages of technical detail. We envisage there will be between half a dozen and a dozen similar changes per year. In these technical cases, the Government still consider the use of the negative procedure the most appropriate use of parliamentary time.