The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (REUL), currently progressing through parliament, seeks to revoke all EU laws retained post Brexit by 31st December 2023. Many regulations within the scope of this Bill affect noise and vibration management. The category of Retained EU Law (REUL) was created at the end of the Brexit transition period to encompass EU derived legislation retained in the UK. The REUL Bill is intended to enable Government to repeal and replace EU derived law easily.
Stephen Turner has written to the Public Bill Committee on behalf of the IOA, outlining concerns about the potential impact of revoking these laws on the ability of acousticians to manage noise and vibration – focussing on environmental noise, occupational noise and vibration and marine noise as areas of concern.
The letter urges the Committee to retain noise and vibration related regulations initially, while recognising there is scope to improve some regulations. This view is echoed by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) in their submissions. Both recognise there is scope for planned and thorough reviews of regulations with a proper process of consultation, but do not believe this Bill provides suitable mechanisms for conducting such reviews. In our submission IOA state we are happy to liaise with government departments to provide guidance and advice on noise and vibration regulations, to provide first-hand experience of how they assist in the management of noise and vibration in our society.
Submissions to the Bill Committee including the letter from IOA can be found at: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament
List of Retained EU Laws https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/retained-eu-law-dashboard
