UK, Scotland edge towards accord
Scotland yesterday said progress was being made towards a deal to ensure that all devolved powers transfer back to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland after Brexit.
The Scottish and Welsh governments have accused the Westminster-based British government of staging a power grab with its European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which will largely "copy and paste" EU legislation into British law.
They have sought assurances that the powers currently devolved to them in areas such as fishing, farming and the environment will return to them rather than to London when Britain leaves the EU in March 2019.
The UK government said the changes it had made would mean that the vast majority of powers would automatically flow from the EU to the devolved administrations. However the Scottish and Welsh governments are seeking legal protection for their current powers.
Britain on Wednesday challenged the EU's proposals to end a post-Brexit transition period on December 31, 2020, saying the date should reflect the time needed for both sides to strike a deal on future trade ties. The government says it remains committed to limiting the transition, fixing a date around two years after Britain leaves the European Union on March 29, 2019.
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