Martin Vickers
Main Page: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Brigg and Immingham)
Mr Speaker
Order. Very many Members are seeking to catch my eye, and I am keen to accommodate them, so brevity is of the essence.
Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Con)
The Secretary of State has outlined a major social change that many of those whom we represent find unacceptable. Such significant change should be allowed to evolve, rather than be pushed through. Will the Minister agree to seek an electoral mandate before proceeding?
Maria Miller
My hon. Friend is right that many of these matters evolve over time. Our consultation has allowed us to listen to the many and varied views and reflect those views in the proposals. On an electoral mandate, the Conservative party’s commitment was set out in the contract for equalities, which sat alongside our manifesto at the election, and which laid out the importance of considering the case for changing the law.