Graham Evans MP says legislation will tackle 'unfairness' in the Commons
Mr Evans states in this article,
“I believe that it is profoundly undemocratic and inherently unfair that Scottish MPs can vote on everything that happens in England, on issues such as health and education, but that English MPs have no vote on those matters in Scotland.
He seems to forget that Scottish MPs are involved in the 3rd Hearing of a Bill, so they are voting on only English matters. If he believes in fairness for England then he should support the establishment of an English Parliament.
Arrival of 'English votes for English laws' hailed by east Runcorn MP
10:00, 17 Jan 2016
By Oliver Clay
Graham Evans MP says legislation will tackle 'unfairness' in the Commons
The Houses Of Parliament and River Thames. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
East Runcorn MP Graham Evans has welcomed the first use of ‘English votes for English laws’ legislation in Parliament during the Housing And Planning Bill.
The change in the Commons ballot system means that bills containing English, or English and Welsh provisions only, now require a double majority – a majority in both the whole House and a majority of English or English and Welsh MPs.
The English votes for English laws legislation was brought in to tackle what critics claimed was an imbalance in voting power known as the ‘West Lothian question’, with English MPs unable to vote on matters devolved to Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish parliaments, but representatives of those countries able to cast ballots on issues that just relate to England.
Mr Evans said: “Following the rejection of independence by the Scottish people in 2014, the Prime Minister set up the Smith Commission to reach cross-party agreement on a new set of wide ranging powers for Scotland.
“But these new powers to Scotland must be tempered with a bigger say for the people of England over their own affairs.
“I believe that it is profoundly undemocratic and inherently unfair that Scottish MPs can vote on everything that happens in England, on issues such as health and education, but that English MPs have no vote on those matters in Scotland.
“At the General Election, I stood on a manifesto commitment to address this historic unfairness and it is now a majority Conservative Government that has delivered them.”
