EVEL

Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)
4.   What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the English votes for English laws procedure.

The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (Dr Thérèse Coffey)
We have fulfilled our manifesto commitment in introducing English votes for English laws, which I believe will strengthen the Union. We have undertaken two Legislative Grand Committees, and several statutory instruments have passed without Division. The House knows about the tablet issue affecting two hon. Members in the live Division on Tuesday. It was recognised immediately, and their votes were recorded, included by the Tellers and listed in Hansard. The Government will undertake a review of the English votes for English laws procedure later this year, and the Procedure Committee has already announced its technical review.

Chris Law
During the English votes for English laws debates, we were repeatedly assured by the Leader of the House that no legislation would pass without a double majority. On Tuesday, we voted on an England-only certified motion to annul secondary legislation. How satisfied is the Deputy Leader of the House that, had the majority of the whole House voted for the negative motion while the majority of English Members voted it down, we would have a statutory instrument that financially affects Scotland that the majority of the House had voted against?

Dr Coffey
Mr Speaker certified the statutory instrument as relating to England only, and the principle of English votes for English laws was displayed. It needs the consent of the majority both of MPs representing the nation in question and, indeed, of the House.

Ian C. Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab)
Half the students at Glyndwr University in my border constituency are from England and it was directly financially affected by the vote earlier this week referred to by the hon. Member for Dundee West (Chris Law). The institution is vital to my constituency and is directly affected by financial decisions made by this House, so is it not wrong in principle that my voice, on its behalf, should be taken away and that my vote counts for less than that of the hon. Lady?

Dr Coffey
The hon. Gentleman voted in the same Division as I did. It is a credit to Glyndwr University in Wrexham—a town I know well—that it manages to attract students from across the border, as well as from within Wales.