UK-EU joint parliamentary assembly to scrutinise trade relations

This may include advertisements from us and 3 rd parties based on our understanding. A new joint parliamentary assembly PPA with MPs from the House of Commons and MEPs in the European Parliament will be set up to scrutinise trade relations between the UK and EU. The new body, which will be a mix of 35 MPs from the UK and 35 MEPs on the continent, will also be able to host debates over some bitterly divisive Brexit related topics such as fishing rights.

Politicians will also have the power to make formal recommendations for the UK Government and European Commission on policy matters. Its MSP Clare Adamson, Convener of Holyrood s Constitution and European Affairs Committee expressed interest in joining Peers and MPs in a letter. As you are aware a number of committees within the Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland AssemblyIreland Assembly and Welsh Senedd have raised a possible role for devolved legislatures in the UK-Union Parliamentary Partnership Assembly. Further to this correspondence, we are now writing to jointly request that three devolved legislatures be formally consulted on our role before any final decision being made in Westminster regarding the UK delegation to the PPA. The Express has also learnt that the move is supported by the SNP-led Scottish Government Ministers in Edinburgh who hold the majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament. A Scottish Government source added: It s critical the devolved administrations have a say on UK-EU relations. Lord Kinnoull, Chairman of the House of Lords Europe Committee, responded to Ms Adamson's letter that: All of us understand the importance of the UK evolving relationship with the EU, including its impact in areas of devolved competence. The Peer pointed out that Lords and Commons would look to establish mutually appropriate ways for this engagement to work. READ MORE: Biden sends new Brexit warning over Article 16 threat to the hated deal.

The setting up of the assembly was first negotiated in the UK and EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, pledged by Michel Barnier and Lord Frost. The agreement said: The European Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom can also propose a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, consisting of members of the European Parliament and of members of the Parliament of the Common-Right, as a forum to exchange views on the partnership. However, it is yet to be determined how the assembly will function with the new body only mentioned in a dozen lines in the Cooperation Agreement. This also includes details on where the new body will meet as well as how many politicians will sit on it.