Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale Excerpts

Thursday 20th January 2011 Lords Chamber

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

I think that my noble friend is missing out on the commas. Each constituency has to be in Scotland wholly, Wales wholly, Northern Ireland wholly and either in England wholly or in England together with one or more of the home and overseas dependent territories. Those territories would be allied only to English constituencies, not to Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish constituencies. I checked all the punctuation with the office to try to make it clear that that is how the amendment would be interpreted. My noble friend Lady Ramsay, who has long experience in the Foreign Office one way or another, has said from a sedentary position, although she might like to say it from a standing position—

[Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale]

It is very clear what the amendment is trying to do. It is trying to incorporate the idea, which the French have employed for a long time, that their overseas and dependent territories can be in some cases considered part of mainland France. My noble friend is trying to extend that principle to our similar dependent territories, but it should be extended only into England and not into the others. It is quite clear.

[Lord Dubs]

I am grateful to both my noble friends. I think that I understand it now. I am sorry that I did not do so before, but it is the time of the night.