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Tuesday Volume 533 11 October 2011 No. 204 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 11 October 2011 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2011 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 163 11 OCTOBER 2011 164 that the type of situation the Defence Secretary has House of Commons found himself in with Mr Werritty would be exposed very clearly if there were a full, transparent register of Tuesday 11 October 2011 lobbyists, and does he also agree that that should be compulsory and introduced as a matter of urgency? The House met at half-past Two o’clock Mr Harper: The right hon. Gentleman said he was going to try not to prejudge that report, but it sounded PRAYERS very much like he did. The Secretary of State for Defence was in the Chamber for an hour yesterday afternoon and gave a very good account of himself. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] [Interruption.] Yes, he did; I was present for Defence questions and his statement, and he gave a very good BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS account of himself. As the Prime Minister has said, he is doing an excellent job as Defence Secretary. The LONDON LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND TRANSPORT FOR Prime Minister has set up a review by the Cabinet LONDON (NO.2)BILL [LORDS] (BY ORDER) Secretary which will deal with any remaining questions, and the right hon. Gentleman rightly said that he does Second Reading opposed and deferred until Tuesday not want to prejudge that. 18 October (Standing Order No. 20). Prisoner Voting Oral Answers to Questions 2. Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con): What his policy is on prisoner voting. [72855] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): The European Court of Human Rights has granted an The Deputy Prime Minister was asked— extension to the deadline for implementing prisoner voting rights that was set in the Greens and MT judgment against the UK. That is because the Court is considering Lobbyists (Statutory Register) an Italian prisoner voting rights case—Scoppola v. Italy. It is therefore right to consider the final Scoppola 1. Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD): What recent judgment and the wider legal context before setting out discussions he has had on the timetable for consultation our next steps on prisoner voting. The Government will on the introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists. express their views on the principles raised in that case, [72854] and we will be arguing that it is for Parliament to decide the way forward on this issue. The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr Mark Harper): I have corresponded with a number of ministerial Bob Stewart: The House has spoken overwhelmingly colleagues with a view to running a consultation process on one side of the argument on this issue: anyone and introducing legislation in the second Session as part serving a custodial sentence should not have a vote. I of the Government’s commitment to transparency, which very much hope the Deputy Prime Minister will recognise has already resulted in our publishing details of ministerial this appropriately in any further dealings he has on the meetings, Government procurement and a number of matter. other items of public interest. Duncan Hames: I am sure many of us would welcome The Deputy Prime Minister: As I said to my hon. that legislation. As the House is periodically reminded, Friend, the first point of principle we are seeking to all sorts of people can seek to market their ability to establish is precisely that it is this Parliament that should lobby, and even secure access to, decision makers. A be able to determine matters such as this, and we will be voluntary register will attract only agencies seeking to arguing that in the Scoppola case that is before the uphold higher standards of practice. Will the Minister Court now. assure us that his proposed register will be comprehensive and include all those seeking to ply this trade? Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab): Why does the Deputy Prime Minister support votes for Mr Harper: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his violent prisoners but not for law-abiding 16 and 17-year- question, and I can confirm that when we publish our olds? consultation it will be clear that we intend these proposals to be comprehensive. We will consult on them widely, The Deputy Prime Minister: I don’t. which will give all those with an interest in transparency the opportunity to comment on them. I hope that West Lothian Question reassures my hon. Friend. Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): I do not expect the 3. Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire) (Con): Minister to prejudge any report by the Cabinet Secretary When he plans to establish the commission to consider on the Defence Secretary this week, but does he agree the West Lothian question. [72856] 165 Oral Answers11 OCTOBER 2011 Oral Answers 166 6. David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con): When he plans to more such conversations. As he rightly says, this is a to establish the commission to consider the West complicated matter—I sometimes have to stress that to Lothian question. [72860] colleagues in this House who think it is simple—which is exactly why we have said that the commission will The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr Mark consist of experts who understand how this place works Harper): I refer my hon. Friends to the written ministerial and can balance those complexities while making sure statement I issued on 8 September. We plan to make that we end up with a solution that is fairer to England further details, including the terms of reference and the as well as to the other parts of the United Kingdom. time scale for the commission, available to the House in the very near future. Electoral Register Andrea Leadsom: Does my hon. Friend accept that 4. Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con): What recent many people in England feel that at this time of economic assessment he has made of the completeness and difficulty fairness is more important than ever, and does accuracy of the electoral register. [72857] he further accept that many hold the view that English-only issues should be more in the hands of English MPs and 5. Nick de Bois (Enfield North) (Con): What recent less in the hands of MPs representing devolved parts of assessment he has made of the completeness and the UK? accuracy of the electoral register. [72858] Mr Harper: I very much agree. Many people who live The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): There in England express concern about this potential unfairness, has been a lot of misleading coverage recently about the which is why we are going to set up the commission to effects of individual electoral registration, so may I take look carefully at how the procedures in this House can a minute to explain this? This Government will do ensure that that situation is fairer as we pass legislation. everything they can to maintain the completeness of the I hope my hon. Friend will welcome that detailed electoral register. That includes phasing in the move to announcement when it is made in due course. individual registration over two years, so that people on the register who do not apply under the new system do David Rutley: Does my hon. Friend agree that it is not lose their vote at the next general election. Every important that the commission has enough time to eligible elector will be asked in 2014 to register under report its findings and that Parliament has enough time the new system. That will include: personal invites to to consider them before a referendum on Scottish people on the register; inquiries to households where no independence, which the Scottish Government indicate one is registered or people have moved; reminder letters; will take place in 2014 or 2015? and face-to-face doorstep canvassing. We are also testing data matching, to identify people missing from the Mr Harper: I am confident that when my hon. Friend register, and looking at how we can increase the choices sees the terms of reference he will see that there will be that people have about how to register. I am looking time for the commission to examine this matter, make forward to the conclusions of the pre-legislative scrutiny its proposals and enable there to be a full discussion and of the consultation, which closes this Friday, but I with all the political parties in this House, and then for do, however, have sympathy with the concerns expressed this House to take a decision on how it wants to move by the Electoral Commission and others about the forward. opt-out proposal, and I am minded to change these provisions when we bring forward the final legislation. Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP): Does the Minister agree that the English are Graham Evans: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister every bit as good as the French and the Germans, and for that reply. It is important that we make sure that can surely govern themselves without any help from the people who do not exist or who are not eligible to vote Scots? Surely the answer to the West Lothian question do not get on to the electoral register. Equally, it is is very simple.