Coronavirus Acts: fifth report to Scottish Parliament (February 2021)

4. UK Government reporting and engagement

4.1. The UK Government published its fifth report on the status of the non-devolved provisions of the UK Act on 28 January 2021^[17] . Its first two-monthly report^[18] was published on 29 May 2020; its second report^[19] was published on 31 July 2020; its third report^[20] was published on 1 October 2020 and its fourth report was published on 1 December 2020^[21].

4.2. The UK Act has a sunset provision (section 89) by which it expires two years after the day it was passed, on 25 March 2022, subject to certain exceptions which are set out in the legislation.

4.3. As required under the UK Act, the House of Commons undertook a review of its non-devolved provisions after six months of operation and debated a motion on 30 September 2020 “that the temporary provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 should not yet expire”.

4.4. The devolved provisions in the UK Act were not in scope of the House of Commons six month review. However, review of their status, operation and continuing necessity is part of the Scottish Government’s two-monthly reporting to the Scottish Parliament, which provides the Parliament with an opportunity to scrutinise the judgements which have been made in the operation, and assessment of the continued necessity of those provisions.

4.5. We are continuing to engage and work with the UK Government and the other Devolved Administrations on the implementation and operation of the UK Act and to help ensure respective reporting arrangements operate successfully and appropriately alongside each other, to support robust and effective scrutiny of the legislation.