Oral Answers to Questions

David Amess Excerpts

Wednesday 14th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[David Mundell]

The hon. Gentleman will know that there are arrangements with the Home Office for occasions when police forces are deployed from other parts of the United Kingdom. However, I am sure that the Home Secretary has heard the specific points made by the hon. Gentleman, and I will raise them directly with the Scottish Government.

[Mr David Amess (Southend West) (Con)]

8. What recent discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on establishing a commission on the West Lothian question.

[Guto Bebb (Aberconwy) (Con)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on establishing a commission on the West Lothian question.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore)]

I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on a range of issues, and last week the Government announced the steps that we are taking to establish a commission on the West Lothian question.

[Mr Amess]

Will the Secretary of State give the House what is the time scale for the commission, and will he reassure every one of us that the present unfair voting system will be resolved by the end of this Parliament?

[Michael Moore]

The details of the commission’s remit and the time scale will be announced by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Forest of Dean (Mr Harper)—the Minister responsible for constitutional reform—at the appropriate moment, as he indicated last week. As for all the issues to be considered by the commission, I am sure that its members have heard the hon. Gentleman’s opening bid.