Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee

Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee in the House of Lords examines impact assessments accompanying secondary legislation to assess whether they meet Cabinet Office standards and properly analyse regulatory effects. The Committee operates as a select committee and conducts oral evidence sessions with government departments and external witnesses. Its scrutiny occurs after statutory instruments are laid but before they take effect, allowing time for recommendations to influence implementation. Recent work has focused on Home Office immigration rules, where the Committee analysed the accompanying impact assessment to evaluate how the department assessed costs, benefits, and compliance burdens on affected stakeholders. The Committee's role is to identify deficiencies in impact assessment quality rather than to block legislation, reporting findings to both Houses to inform parliamentary debate on secondary instruments.