Ministers are warned to accept changes to Bill

Senior Tory MPs fear the size and scope of the ‘Great Repeal Bill’ may be its undoing

Senior Tory MPs have advised ministers to accept changes to their Brexit legislation amid warnings that the size of the bill could derail it.

Maria Miller, Bob Neill and Bernard Jenkin, along with Labour’s Frank Field, are among those who chair select committees that support the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill at second reading but expect amendments to ensure it becomes law.

Ms Miller, chairwoman of the women and equalities committee, said one amendment must “explicitly commit to maintaining current levels of equality protection”.

The justice committee’s Mr Neill said some powers go beyond what is “acceptable or necessary” while Brexiteer Bernard Jenkin, of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee, acknowledged “some changes to the Bill might be necessary”.

Labour former minister Mr Field said he would prefer to see the draft legislation simplified to include “crucial” details, such as a leave date for Brexit and a process for MPs and peers to review the legislation incorporated from EU law.

Their remarks came as MPs debated the Bill, which repeals the 1972 Act that took Britain into the European Economic Community and incorporates relevant EU rules and regulations into the domestic law book.

Labour was hoping to block the Bill, the Bill’s second reading and its timetable, arguing the proposed legislation “fails to protect and reassert” the principle of parliamentary sovereignty as it hands “sweeping powers” to ministers and allows them to “bypass Parliament”.

Concerns have also been raised about so-called Henry VIII powers, which would allow secondary legislation to be passed with little parliamentary scrutiny.

Conservative former cabinet minister Ken Clarke asked Mr Jenkin if he agreed the Government should amend the Bill so it only gives itself the powers that Mr Davis said he requires.

He added: “Surely no-one would miss the rather sweeping powers in clause seven and nine, and so on, if they are removed because the Government expresses no intention of using them in the way everybody fears?”

Mr Jenkin replied: “I think you set out the common ground we should all be on.”