Standing Orders — Veto for MPs from England, Wales and Northern Ireland Over Laws Affecting Just Their Parts of the UK — 22 Oct 2015 at 16:00

The majority of MPs voted to give MPs from England, Wales and Northern Ireland a veto over laws impacting just their parts of the UK. The majority of MPs voted against putting the decision off until a committee had considered it.

MPs were considering a motion proposing a number of new, and amended, Standing Orders for the House of Commons designed to give the MPs from England, Wales and Northern Ireland a veto when laws specifically impacting one or more of those parts of the United Kingdom are before the House of Commons.

Under the proposed Standing Orders a majority of MPs from the affected areas would need to consent to a relevant bill or amendment before it could put to a House of Commons vote; and a motion put to the whole house would not be considered agreed unless the majority of MPs from qualifying constituencies agreed to it.

The motion under consideration^[1] began:

• That
• (1) The following new Standing Orders and changes to Standing Orders be made: ....

The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment: (a),
• in line 1, leave out from “That” to end and insert —
• “this House concurs with the Lords Message of 21 July, that it is expedient that a joint committee of Lords and Commons be appointed to consider and report on the constitutional implications of the Government's revised proposals to change the Standing Orders of the House of Commons in order to give effect to English Votes for English Laws, and that the committee should report on the proposals by 30 March 2016.”

The message of 21 July referred to was sent in relation to the House of Lords agreeing a motion stating^[2]:

• that it is expedient that a joint committee of Lords and Commons be appointed to consider and report on the constitutional implications of the Government’s 14 July revised proposals to change the Standing Orders of the House of Commons in order to give effect to English Votes for English Laws, and that the committee should report on the proposals by 30 March 2016.

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• [1] Motion on new Standing Orders and amendments, Chris Grayling MP, Official Record, House of Commons, 22 October 2015
• [2] House of Lords Minutes of Proceedings, 21 July 2015

Debate in Parliament | Source |