Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House
Thursday 3rd February 2011

(13 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Young of Cookham Portrait Sir George Young
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend. It is indeed the case that we were running a substantial structural deficit before we hit the financial recession and the problem with the banks. Anyone who denies that there was a structural deficit denies the reality.

Denis MacShane Portrait Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab)
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After the Prime Minister’s very kind and generous statement to the 1922 committee that all Conservative MPs will either have a seat after the next election or be sent to the House of Lords, may we have an extra debate on the reduction of representation Bill? As a historian, will the Leader of the House say whether there is any example in the history of parliamentary reform that has led to a reduction in representation in this House?

Lord Young of Cookham Portrait Sir George Young
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Well, the right hon. Gentleman’s Government reduced the representation of Scottish MPs, so that is a fairly easy one to answer. I have the privilege of attending the 1922 committee—he would be very welcome to cross the Floor and see the light—but I am not aware of such a specific undertaking. If he had any idea of how Conservative associations work, he would know that the notion that anyone could be guaranteed a seat in the next Parliament is very ambitious indeed.