Explainer: The UK Internal Market Act 2020 and implications for the Scottish Parliament

Author: Dr Coree Brown Swan

PDF Published: Wednesday 08 Jul 2026 (SB 26-43)

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Overview
Report

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Overview
Report
- Executive Summary
- Managing the UK Internal Market
  - Common Frameworks
  - The introduction of the UK Internal Market Bill and reaction to it
- The UK Internal Market Act 2020
  - The Internal Market Act in Practice
  - The exclusions process and exclusions to date
    
    Single use plastics
    
    Deposit Return Scheme
    
    Glue traps
    
    Implications of exclusions for the Scottish Parliament
  - The Office for the Internal Market
- The UK Government consultation and Review
  - The outcomes of the review
    
    An expanded basis for exclusions: environmental and public health matters
    
    A revised exclusion process
    
    Common framework exclusions
    
    Minimum Economic Impact exclusions
    
    Reserve exclusions
  - Devolved Contributions and Responses
- Parliamentary scrutiny
  - Intergovernmental relations
  - Common Frameworks
  - The exclusions process
  - Implications of intergovernmental working for transparency and accountability at the Scottish Parliament in Session 7
  - Improving parliamentary scrutiny
Sources

The timeline shows the development of common frameworks from 2017 and of the UK Internal Market Act 2020.

Image: Managing the UK Internal Market

The infographic shows a three-tiered system of intergovernmental relations. At the top is the Council, in the middle are interministerial committees, and at the bottom are interministerial groups.

Image: Intergovernmental relations structure

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UK internal market policy paper . (2020, July). Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-internal-market/uk-internal-market [accessed 27 May 2026]

Holyrood Magazine. (2020). UK internal market bill a 'full frontal assault on devolution', Nicola Sturgeon Says. Retrieved from https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,uk-internal-market-bill-a-full-frontal-assault-on-devolution-nicola-sturgeon-says [accessed 30 October 2025]

Welsh Government. (2020, August 14). The UK Government’s White Paper on a UK Internal Market Welsh Government Analysis. Retrieved from https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s103942/Correspondence%20from%20the%20Counsel%20General%2014%20August%202020.pdf [accessed 13 November 2025]

Chappell, E. (2020, September 9). Drakeford slams internal markets bill as “smash and grab” on devolution. Retrieved from https://labourlist.org/2020/09/drakeford-slams-internal-markets-bill-as-smash-and-grab-on-devolution/

Brown Swan, C., Horsley, T., McEwen, N., & Whitten, L.C. (2024). Westminster Rules? The United Kingdom Internal Market Act and Devolution. Retrieved from https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/337897/1/337897.pdf

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Dougan, M., Hunt, J., McEwen, N., & McHarg, A. (2022). Sleeping with an elephant: devolution and the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Law Quarterly Review, 138, 650-676.

Horsley, T., & Hunt, J. (2023). Internal market governance by consensus rather than conflict? Common Frameworks and the potential for positive harmonisation. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly, 30-67. doi: 10.53386/nilq.v74iAD2.1083

Scottish Parliament Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture (CEEAC) Committee. (2022, February 2022). UK Internal Market Inquiry. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2022/2/22/73682bfb-fb43-47e5-b206-b79ec5e28262-2 [accessed 13 November 2025]

The Scottish Govenrment . (2021, March). AFTER BREXIT: The UK Internal Market Act & Devolution. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2021/03/brexit-uk-internal-market-bill-scotlands-future/documents/brexit-uk-internal-market-act-devolution/brexit-uk-internal-market-act-devolution/govscot%3Adocument/brexit-uk-internal-market-act-devolution.pdf [accessed 1 March 2026]

Scottish Parliament Information Centre. (2022, October 27). Scotland’s Ban on Single-Use Plastics: a case study of the impact of the UK Internal Market Act. Retrieved from https://spice-spotlight.scot/2022/10/27/scotlands-ban-on-single-use-plastics-a-case-study-of-the-impact-of-the-uk-internal-market-act/ [accessed 13 November 2025]

SPICe. (2023, March 24). From single-use plastics to the deposit return scheme: How are Common Frameworks and UK Internal Market Act exclusion processes operating?. Retrieved from https://spice-spotlight.scot/2023/03/24/from-single-use-plastics-to-the-deposit-return-scheme-how-are-common-frameworks-and-uk-internal-market-act-exclusion-processes-operating/ [accessed 27 November 2025]

Aitken, C. (2023, March 24). From single-use plastics to the deposit return scheme: How are Common Frameworks and UK Internal Market Act exclusion processes operating?. Retrieved from https://spice-spotlight.scot/2023/03/24/from-single-use-plastics-to-the-deposit-return-scheme-how-are-common-frameworks-and-uk-internal-market-act-exclusion-processes-operating/ [accessed 30 October 2025]

Scottish Government. (2024, March 31). Glue traps sales ban: letter to UK Government. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/glue-traps-sales-ban-letter-uk-government/ [accessed 30 October 2025]

The Scottish Government . (2024, March 31). Glue traps sales ban: letter to UK Government. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/glue-traps-sales-ban-letter-uk-government/ [accessed 23 February 2026]

Scottish Parliament Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. (2025). UKIMA Consultaton. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/ukima-submission.pdf [accessed 12 February 2026]

Official Report, the Scottish Parliament . (2025, March 6). Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, Official Report. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/CEEAC-06-03-2025?meeting=16305&iob=139286 [accessed 1 March 2026]

Alexander, D. (2024, December 12). The Review of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Retrieved from https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-12-12/hcws299 [accessed 23 October 2025]

Scottish Government. (2025, April 3). Internal Market Act 2020: position paper. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-position-paper-internal-market-act-2020/pages/1/

Welsh Parliament Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. (2025, April 2). UK Internal Market Act 2020: review and consultation Committee submission. Retrieved from https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s161644/LJC6-16-25%20-%20Paper%207%20-%20Committee%20submission%202%20April%202025.pdf

UK Government. (2025, July 25). UK Government response to the Review of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 and Public Consultation. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686fa10e2cfe301b5fb679d0/uk-government-response-to-the-review-of-the-united-kingdom-internal-market-act-2020-and-public-consultation.pdf

Hansard . (2024, December 12). Statement made on 12 December 2024. Retrieved from https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-12-12/hcws299 [accessed 1 March 2026]

The Scottish Governemnt . (2025, April). Scottish Government Position Paper on the UK Internal Market Act 2020. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2025/04/scottish-government-position-paper-internal-market-act-2020/documents/scottish-government-position-paper-internal-market-act-2020/scottish-government-position-paper-internal-market-act-2020/govscot%3Adocument/scottish-government-position-paper-internal-market-act-2020.pdf [accessed 8 January 2026]

Learmouth, A. (2024, April 4). Why selling and using glue traps has sparked a constitutional crisis. Retrieved from https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24232463.constitutional-crisis-selling-using-glue-traps/ [accessed 30 October 2025]

Horsley, T. (2025). Reforming the UK Internal Market: The UK Government’s Response to the Review of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. Retrieved from https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/07/21/thomas-horsley-reforming-the-uk-internal-market-the-uk-governments-response-to-the-review-of-the-united-kingdom-internal-market-act-2020/ [accessed 30 November 2025]

Irranca-Davies, H. (2025, July 17). Written Statement: Outcome of the UK Government review of the Internal Market Act 2020. Retrieved from https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-outcome-uk-government-review-internal-market-act-2020

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. (2023). How Devolution Is Changing Post-EU. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2023/10/24/6692fb8e-0bf0-47cd-a1ba-cff461d9395d [accessed 7 July 2025]

McEwen, N., Kenny, M., Sheldon, J., & Brown Swan, C. (2020). Intergovernmental relations in the UK: time for a radical overhaul?. The Political Quarterly, 91(3), 632-640. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-923X.12862Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

UK Government. (2022, January 13). Review of intergovernmental relations. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-review-of-intergovernmental-relations [accessed 17 May 2022]

McKay, S., & Bosse, A. (2022, April 19). What’s the story? How to scrutinise common frameworks . Retrieved from https://spice-spotlight.scot/2022/04/19/whats-the-story-how-to-scrutinise-common-frameworks/ [accessed 6 November 2025]

Scottish Parliament Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Commitee. (2022, February 22). UK Internal Market Inquiry. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/CEEAC/2022/2/22/73682bfb-fb43-47e5-b206-b79ec5e28262-2#Introduction [accessed 27 November 2025]

Welsh Parliament Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee. (2022, December). Common Frameworks. Retrieved from https://senedd.wales/media/oago3cxo/cr-ld15529-e.pdf [accessed 27 November 2025]

Sim, D. (2025, July 31). The intergovernmental relations 'reset': one year on. Retrieved from https://bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/2025/7/31/2990fc7c-82aa-4c04-a6d9-efd8ab34cead/SB%2025-28.pdf [accessed 5 March 2026]

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. (2025). Response to UK Government's UKIMA review and consultation. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/ukima-submission.pdf

Scottish Parliament . (2025, July 31). The intergovernmental relations 'reset': one year on Author: Duncan Sim. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/ResearchBriefings/Report/2025/7/31/2990fc7c-82aa-4c04-a6d9-efd8ab34cead [accessed 1 March 2026]

The Scottish Parliament . (2025, June 24). Written response to CEEACC call for views on transaprency of intergovernmental relations and implications for parliamentary scrutiny. Retrieved from https://yourviews.parliament.scot/session-6/transparency-of-intergovernmental-activity-and-its/consultation/view_respondent?uuId=1044022869 [accessed 27 February 2026]

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McEwen, N., & Brown Swan, C. (2024, December). The Scottish GovernmentScottish Parliament Written Agreement on Intergovernmental Relations: Still Fit for Purpose?. Retrieved from https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_1143252_smxx.pdf

Last Updated: 8/7 6:07pm

Image: Managing the UK Internal Market

Image: Intergovernmental relations structure

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