The UK government has published draft legislation to empower Prime Minister Theresa May to activate Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union and thereby begin the formal Brexit process.

The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill has been published by Brexit Minister David Davies following the Supreme Court’s ruling this week that an Act of Parliament is necessary to give ministers the authority to start the Brexit process.

The bill is set to be debated in the House of Commons for just five days before it goes to the House of Lords by the end of next week.

The draft legislation reads:

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1. Power to notify withdrawal from the EU

(1) The Prime Minister may notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU.

(2) This section has effect despite any provision made by or under the European Communities Act 1972 or any other enactment.

2. Short title

This Act may be cited as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017.

Speaking as he published the bill, Mr Davies said: “The British people have made the decision to leave the EU and this government is determined to get on with the job of delivering it.

“So today we have introduced a Bill in Parliament which will allow us to formally trigger Article 50 by the end of March.

“I trust that Parliament, which backed the referendum by six to one, will respect the decision taken by the British people and pass the legislation quickly.”