Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 17th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I assure the hon. Lady and the House that the Government are committed to reforming the leasehold system to give homeowners more control and cheaper access to leasehold renewal, including a 990-year extension with zero ground rent. We will set out plans for further reforms later in the Parliament.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Q14. What would be a reason for extending the general election franchise to settled EU citizens, a population of voters equal to the number in Wales?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I think that my right hon. Friend is referring to the plans from the Labour party. It is quite interesting that this week, while we are pushing ahead with legislation to break the smuggling gangs, Labour’s big idea is to give foreign nationals a say in our elections. So there we have it. While the Conservatives will stop the boats, Labour will rig the votes.

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: Sewel Convention

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 14th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford) must be able to complete his contribution—

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Really?

[Mr Speaker]

Yes, really! [Interruption.] Order. What was that? Somebody chuntered from a sedentary position.

--- Later in debate ---

[David Mundell]

After yesterday, I am not taking any lessons from the right hon. Gentleman on dignity. However, we have at least had some clarification on what guerrilla tactics are going to be used in this Parliament, including chanting in line with what he says. I actually respect the fact that he opposes Brexit. He is perfectly entitled to do that, but he is not entitled to ignore the views of the more than 1 million people in Scotland who voted for Brexit but who the SNP want to airbrush out of history. Nor is he entitled to ignore the result of the referendum across the United Kingdom as a whole. It is therefore incumbent on this Government to deliver Brexit, and that is what we will do.

I hope that the right hon. Gentleman was not wilfully misinterpreting the Sewel convention, because the convention is not absolute. He set it out as though it were, but it is not. As I said in my statement, the Government will seek consent unless normal circumstances do not apply, and anyone would accept that the UK leaving the EU is not normal circumstances.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

Which power is my right hon. Friend planning to take away from the Scottish Government and Parliament?

[David Mundell]

That is an excellent question, because I have twice heard the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford) say that powers will be stripped from the Scottish Parliament. However, not one power that the Scottish Parliament currently exercises will be stripped. Over 80 new powers and responsibilities are coming to Holyrood and, yes, I call that a “powers bonanza.”