Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Pawsey Excerpts

Thursday 4th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

I join my hon. Friend in placing on record the thanks of—I think—all Members to the staff of the House, who did a great deal to make the Youth Parliament possible. It is worth considering the idea of extending the time available to them by enabling some of them to sit in other parts of the House, and I am sure that we can look into that together, Mr Speaker.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

6. What the implications are of the Smith commission report for further discussions of devolution in the House.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

9. What the implications are of the Smith commission report for further discussions of devolution in the House.

[The First Secretary of State and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr William Hague)]

The Government are committed to publishing draft clauses based on the Smith commission report by 25 January 2015. I will report to the House in due course on further progress in relation to the devolution of powers within the United Kingdom, and on the consequences for England.

[Mark Pawsey]

As the House considers the report, there will be much talk about how combined city authorities can become the vehicles for devolution in England. That will make it increasingly necessary for authorities to come together in the west midlands, where there is still no agreement. Will the Leader of the House ensure that the position of shire counties and rural areas is fully taken into account, so that everyone in England has an opportunity to benefit?

[Mr Hague]

That is an extremely important point, and, as a north Yorkshire Member of Parliament, I am certainly very conscious of it. There is a huge opportunity for local authorities to take up the challenge that has been taken up by Manchester, and to reach the same agreement with the Chancellor. However, this does not only involve metropolitan areas or conurbations; there are also major opportunities for county councils and rural authorities in general to make such plans, and we should encourage them to do so.