October 28, 2019

The Bill, which provides for the ratification and implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement treaty, was announced in the Queen’s Speech on 14 October 2019 and published on 21 October 2019. The Second Reading of the Bill was approved in the House of Commons on Tuesday 22 October 2019.

The House of Commons Library has produced a guide to the Bill broken down by subject area:

• ratifying the Withdrawal Agreement;
• the future relationship negotiations and Parliament’s role;
• implementing the transition period;
• citizens’ rights provisions
• workers’ rights provisions;
• the financial settlement;
• implications for devolved institutions;
• the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland; and
• general provisions, covering sovereignty, special status and the Withdrawal Agreement.

The Library has also published a guide to the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) and the Political Declaration. To access the guide to the Bill, click here. To access the guide to the WA, click here.