Wednesday 17 December 2014

EVEL English Votes For English ( and Welsh) laws.

English MPs would have a veto over any legislation only affecting England, under Tory plans presented today.
William Hague, the Commons leader, said his party’s reform, drawn up following the decision to devolve wide-ranging powers from Whitehall to Scotland, was inspired by a “fundamental issue of fairness for all the people of the United Kingdom”.

He points to four possible options for English Votes for English Laws  (EVEL) at no stage is there mention pf Wales so it seems rather like the England and Wales cricket board  where th national team are only refers to as England in areas where powers are not deferred to the Assembly Welsh MPs are deemed to be English

The Independent tells us that

Option 1 (Con): Exclude Scottish MPs altogether
The most radical option, it would change forever the nature of United Kingdom as we know it. It would exclude Scottish MPs from debating and voting on swathes of legislation (such as health, education and in future taxation) which does not affect Scotland. Scottish MPs would in effect become "second class" Members.

If Scottish MPs are second class members Welsh MPs would be third class . It could mean a Parliament within a parliament . With English MPs having the sane devolved powers as Scottish MSPs .T could lead to a Majority of English MPs being Tories and having no Welsh representation . Welsh MPs will have no real say in the decisions (rather like now).

Option 2 (Con): Give English MPs power over the detail of Bills

This is a slightly watered-down version of the first option, but still amounts to a virtual veto for English MPs.
Only they would vote at the crucial Committee and Report stages of Bills, where legislation can be amended. All MPs could vote at the final Third Reading, where Bills cannot be amended. This option would give English MPs “the decisive say”, the command paper says.
Again there no mention of Welsh (or Northern Irish MPs)will they have imput?
Option 3 (Con): Give English MPs a veto
The committee stage of Bills affecting England would only be taken by an English Grand Committee of MPs in proportion to their parties’ representation in the Commons.
The English Grand Committee could have other powers, including over the allocation of local council finance or police grants. MPs from across the UK would be able to sit at other stages of Bills.
If English Mps have a Veto then surely this should also apply to Welsh MPS  vetoing laws that affect Wales . For instance raising Airport Duties which  is deemed by Cameron and by Labour (or not|) wales is not worthy of having these powers devolved.

Option 4 (Lib Dem): Give English MPs a veto - with proportional representation
Same as option 3, but with the crucial proviso that English MPs voting at committee stage should be selected in proportion to the votes cast in England rather than the number of seats won.
Again What of Welsh MPs? . I Actually it could give  the Tories in Wales more say as if their votes do not match  their seats .

I share with the LidDems the need for PR but really!

This would  effectively means that a the English Parliament  within a parliament   as a form of PR which is not applied in any Western Democracy as far I know)

We can only ponder if Ffion lent over Hague's shoulder as he was drawing up this dog 'breakfast and said . 

You remember you were once Welsh Secretary where do we fit in?

Alas if it happened there was no answer.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You can be sure that once EvEL (&W) is implemented in Westminster, Labour MPs will become even more opposed to further devolution, because turkeys do not vote for Christmas.