The real hard yards of making legal preparations for an as-yet unknown Brexit deal by the UK will start in the House of Keys today.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle will begin the tough task of guiding his Brexit Bill through the close scrutiny of the clauses stage.

The ride is set to be bumpy - Mr Quayle has already been knocked off course after having to apologise for falsely accusing Liberal Vannin leader Kate Beecroft of not attending a presentation on the European Union and Trade Bill, to give it is full title.

It is understood a further presentation to members has taken place - hopefully the Chief Minister examined the roll call this time, just in case he’s planning to throw any more barbs at troublesome backbenchers.

While the increasing reliance on presentations ahead of public debate is nothing new with this administration - and appears at least in part designed to avoid too many awkward questions on the floor of parliament - there is clear anxiety within the corridors of power about its ability to get this bill through in time in a form that at least resembles what it desires. Otherwise it is in serious trouble.

Mr Quayle has already called it the most important legislation in a generation. So important, it turned out, he had to push through the first and second readings at one sitting, despite concerns this was hardly fair on those who hadn’t had a chance to study a bill of such magnitude.

The proposal in the bill to allow the Council of Ministers to use secondary legislation to retain or EU laws that would otherwise fall after Brexit - bypassing the more rigorous scrutiny that acts of Tynwald face - has already caused concern.

To that end, both the government and backbencher Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) have tabled amendments to introduce a ’sunset clause’ that would require such secondary legislation to be subject to review at a later date.

Of the differing proposals to amend the Brexit Bill before it has even been approved, Mr Hooper’s appears to be the more rigorous, specifying the expiry of any retained legislation unless Tynwald acts positively.

All of this means that the Communications Bill, down for its general principle to be considered at a second reading, is likely to be somewhat overshadowed.

Alex Allinson (Ramsey) is set to take responsibility for steering the bill, in the absence of Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey, who is unable to attend. The bill aims to take into account advances in technology and futureproof the legislation, as well as set out the expectations and standards for public service broadcasting.

The fine details of the Payment of Members Expenses Bill, which will stop suspended Tynwald members being able to claim expenses, will be studied; while the Criminal Evidence Bill - that will change the rules on the admissibility of text messages as evidence - will be introduced for a first reading, but will not be subject to debate.

Before all the legislative work, which is set to ensure that MHKs haven’t made any other plans for after lunch, Mrs Beecroft will warm things up with questions for Mr Quayle about how Brexit is going as far as the island is concerned, while other issues to be raised include more on efforts to ban single use plastic, the sugar tax and public sector rent.

On a happier note and perhaps something that all MHKs would do well to pay listen to, Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew) will ask Mr Quayle what action the government will take to support World Kindness Day.

The Legislative Council has just the one item to deal with, but it will be helping create history when it does. What should be the final stage of the Abortion Reform Bill’s scrutiny will occur when MLCs examine the final version of the bill, as updated by the House of Keys last week. Assuming there are no hiccoughs, all that will remain after that is for the bill to go to Tynwald for signature, before being forwarded for royal assent and becoming law.