Oral Answers to Questions

David Ruffley Excerpts

Tuesday 20th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

That is an excellent idea, and it is exactly one of the tasks of the Electoral Commission to find out where EROs are most effective and then ensure that their colleagues in other parts of the country are aware of best practice.

[Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds) (Con)]

3. What recent representations he has received on reform of the House of Lords.

[The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg)]

The Government have received more than 250 representations since the publication of the White Paper and the draft House of Lords Reform Bill in May last year.

[Mr Ruffley]

Many of us are of the view that many Members of an elected upper House, elected by proportional representation, will be tempted to claim a mandate equal to that of hon. Members in this place. Why does the Deputy Prime Minister think that his rather squalid Bill will not undermine the primacy of this Chamber?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I do not think that anything in our plans would change the primacy of this Chamber or that there is an automatic link between changing the composition of the other place and changing the balance of power between the two Chambers. There are many bicameral systems around the world where both Chambers are either wholly or fully elected but there is a clear division of labour between them. The hon. Gentleman calls this a squalid proposal; it is a proposal to introduce a smidgen of democracy in the other place, which has been around for about 100 years, and I think that we should now get on with it.