Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Alun Michael Excerpts
Tuesday 24th May 2011

(12 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Clegg Portrait The Deputy Prime Minister
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That is one of the many questions that we are now considering in advance of making an announcement about the establishment of the commission to look into the West Lothian question, which we will do during the course of this year.

Alun Michael Portrait Alun Michael (Cardiff South and Penarth) (Lab/Co-op)
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T12. The Deputy Prime Minister has just said that he is in favour of the public having more people to vote for. Has he read the Hansard proceedings of last week’s debate in Westminster Hall, in which Conservative, Labour and Plaid Cymru MPs criticised the fact that the relationship between Wales and Westminster was being put at risk by the cut in representation from 40 MPs to 30? Only Liberal Democrats seem willing to defend that policy. Is he ready to repent, or has he given up on Wales?

Nick Clegg Portrait The Deputy Prime Minister
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What I have not given up on is having a system of election that is fair. I do not think it is right or fair to have some Members of the House representing far, far fewer constituents than colleagues in other constituencies. The principle that all of us should represent roughly the same number of people seems to me a basic one.