Share your experiences and views of framework legislation

Overview

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee is keen to hear views on current use of framework legislation and Henry VIII powers.

Framework legislation 
 
Framework legislation sets out principles for a policy, but does not provide substantial detail on the face of the bill as to how that policy will be given practical effect. Instead, it provides broad powers to fill in the detail at a later point, most often by Ministers through secondary legislation (also referred to as delegated or subordinate legislation).  
 
Bills which would be considered framework legislation have been referred to by a number of different terms. These include “skeleton”, “enabling” or “headline” bills. 
 
Some bills may not be considered to be framework bills in a strict sense, but may contain a wide power or wide powers (as a result, the Committee is more widely interested in the issue of framework legislation, which would incorporate these bills too).   
 
Henry VIII powers  
 
Henry VIII powers allow Ministers to amend acts of parliament by secondary legislation.  Further information about them can be found under question 7 below, which asks specifically about them. 

How to submit your views 

Share your views by completing this consultation. 
 
Please answer any of the questions that are of interest to you. You don’t need to answer all the questions.  
 
Any other views you wish to share on framework legislation or Henry VIII powers are also welcome in response to the final question.  

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language. 

The call for views closes on 31 October 2024.