Constitutional Reform: Referendums

Lord Grocott Excerpts

Monday 24th January 2011 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Grocott]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria are used to determine whether or not a constitutional change should be submitted to a referendum.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally)]

My Lords, the Government believe that Parliament should judge which issues are the subject of a national referendum.

[Lord Grocott]

So there is no question of the Government adopting any principles towards it, then. I cannot understand the Government’s position on this because they do appear to have a position. How can it be right to have a referendum on the major constitutional issue of changing the voting system for the House of Commons but wrong to hold a referendum on the major constitutional issue of changing an appointed House of Lords into an elected House of Lords?