Coronavirus Acts: sixth report to Scottish Parliament (April 2021)

4. UK Government reporting and engagement

4.1. 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.

4.2. The UK Government published its second 6-monthly report^[2] on the UK Act's non-devolved provisions which are subject to expiry on 22 March 2021, in line with the requirements of that Act. Debates^[3] in both Houses of Parliament on the government's approach and the provisions in the Act were held on 25 March 2021.

4.3. The devolved provisions in the UK Act were not in scope of the UK Government's review. 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.

4.4. The Scottish Government continues 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.