House of Lords Reform (Draft Bill)

Fiona Mactaggart Excerpts

Tuesday 17th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

That is exactly what we propose: that either by election or appointment, but not by heredity, people will be represented in a reformed House of Lords.

[Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab)]

As someone who wishes the Deputy Prime Minister well in this effort, may I ask him, first, why he believes that the Parliament Act, which, unlike the written constitutions that other bicameral countries have, is not entrenched, will prevent conflict between this House and the other place? Secondly, what are his specific proposals to reduce the risk of conflict between Members who are elected for the same territory? Has he looked at non-geographic constituencies for the other place?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

The idea proposed in the Bill—again, I really should stress that this is not some sort of new idea but a repetition and a re-presentation of an idea that many people have proposed in the past—is that the geographical mandates are so different that any meaningful overlap cannot really occur. The hon. Lady refers to the Parliament Act, but the Parliament Acts are there to resolve conflicts where they become firmly entrenched, and we believe that the provisions of the Parliament Acts should remain in place.