Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrea Leadsom Excerpts
Tuesday 16th October 2012

(12 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Clegg Portrait The Deputy Prime Minister
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My right hon. Friend the Chief Whip has made it clear that he acknowledges that what he did was wrong, he has apologised, and the police officer in question has accepted that apology. I hope that we can move on from there.

Andrea Leadsom Portrait Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire) (Con)
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My right hon. Friend is right to say, as he has many times, that one of the great achievements of the coalition has been to come together in the national interest. Will he not, therefore, reconsider the fact that reducing the number of Members of Parliament and equalising the number of electors in each seat is clearly in the national interest?

Nick Clegg Portrait The Deputy Prime Minister
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As I sought to explain, the legislation on the boundary reviews remains on the statute book and there is no question of our seeking to repeal it. To that extent, we are honouring the coalition agreement commitment to introduce legislation to hold boundary reviews and reduce the number of MPs in this House. However, for all the reasons that I have explained, the legislation will not be introduced in effect before the next general election.