Oral Answers to Questions

Guto Bebb Excerpts

Wednesday 14th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[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 ---

[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.

[Guto Bebb]

Will the Secretary of State make representations to the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that the issue of Barnett consequentials is taken into consideration as part of the commission’s terms of reference?

[Michael Moore]

The commission will not give specific consideration to the Barnett formula, or to funding arrangements around the United Kingdom. We have made a separate commitment within the coalition agreement to look at all those matters when we have achieved our primary objective of sorting out the public finances.