Oral Answers to Questions

Nicholas Dakin Excerpts

Tuesday 5th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

Whatever their views about the proposals for House of Lords reform that the Government made in the White Paper and the draft Bill, I believe that everybody accepts that the House of Lords is not immune to reform or improvement. My view is that political institutions are always susceptible to some improvement over time, and I believe that that package of carefully considered reforms, which I hope, over time, will enjoy cross-party support, will finally allow us to make progress on something that has been debated for more than a century.

[Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)]

2. What recent representations he has received on the Government’s policy on the proposed length of fixed-term parliaments.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr Mark Harper)]

The Fixed-term Parliaments Bill has been debated almost fully in both Houses. We have received representations from the public, and I feel sure that, very shortly, another will emanate from the hon. Gentleman.

[Nic Dakin]

Leading constitutional expert Vernon Bogdanor said:

“If we are entering a world of hung parliaments, there is no reason for dissolutions to be made more difficult.”

Is the Fixed-term Parliaments Bill designed to serve short-term, coalition political interests rather than the long-term interests of the British people?

[Mr Harper]

Not at all. I know the opinions of Vernon Bogdanor very well, because he was my tutor. He and I disagreed while we were at university, and we continue to do so on many matters now. The Bill is very much in the interests of Parliament, and of having a stable situation in which the Prime Minister, for the first time, has given up the power to call an election to suit his political party. That is a huge constitutional improvement.