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Tuesday Volume 551 16 October 2012 No. 49 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 16 October 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 141 16 OCTOBER 2012 142 My officials continue to work closely with the House of Commons Government of New Zealand in their co-ordination of the proposed reforms of royal succession throughout the 16 Commonwealth realms, which were announced Tuesday 16 October 2012 by the Prime Minister at the time of the Perth agreement on 28 October 2011. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Tom Greatrex: I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for his answer, and associate myself with his comments PRAYERS about our two former colleagues, recently departed. The Deputy Prime Minister referred to the work of the New Zealand Government. He will know that legislation [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] will soon be needed to enable those changes to be made, and that it will be initiated in the House of Commons. Given his unenviable record of success in relation to BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS constitutional change, may I suggest that he pass responsibility for the legislation to another Minister, so CITY OF LONDON (VARIOUS POWERS)BILL [LORDS] that there will be some chance of its actually being Motion made, That the Bill be now read a Second introduced? time. The Deputy Prime Minister: So there are to be Christmas Hon. Members: Object. cracker jokes from the very beginning. Bill to be read a Second time on Tuesday 23 October. No; we will pursue this. As the hon. Gentleman may know, we are already pursuing it, along with 15 other Commonwealth realms, but the process is very complex legally. Although the idea is simple—ending male Oral Answers to Questions primogeniture in the succession rules and allowing successors to the monarchy to marry Catholics, removing that discriminatory rule from the current arrangements—it is proving to be quite difficult and time-consuming to DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER align all the legislative processes across all the realms, but I know that the New Zealand Government are doing all they can to expedite that. The Deputy Prime Minister was asked— Act of Settlement Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con): Unlike the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Tom 1. Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) Greatrex), I have every confidence that my right hon. (Lab/Co-op): What recent discussions he has had on Friend will do a brilliant job in introducing these long- the Act of Settlement 1700. [122130] overdue reforms. Is it not ironic that, had the Queen had a younger brother, she would not be Queen at this The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): As the moment? Is it not time to introduce the other reform to House is aware, we have sadly lost two Members over which my right hon. Friend referred briefly? At present, the last few weeks. Before I reply to the hon. Gentleman’s not only a monarch but anyone in the line of succession question, let me say that both Malcolm Wicks and may not marry a Roman Catholic or, indeed, become Sir Stuart Bell will be very sorely missed. one. That is an absurdity, and we must surely do away The right hon. Member for Croydon North was an with it as soon as we can. example to all who entered the House. He always held to the highest standards of public life, and was a credit The Deputy Prime Minister: I certainly agree that the to the House of Commons. On a personal level, I—along current rules are anachronistic and explicitly discriminatory. with everyone else, I am sure—was struck by his modesty, That is the point of the reforms. It should be borne in compassion and commitment. He worked tirelessly for mind that the new rules, particularly those on male his constituents. Whether he was dealing with fuel poverty primogeniture, came into effect from the moment that or pursuing legislation to support carers, Malcolm tackled the declaration was made in Perth. Although some it all with true dedication. painstaking work is needed to extend the legislation to all the Commonwealth realms, it has already taken We also heard the sad news of the death of the hon. effect. Member for Middlesbrough. While, as pro-Europeans, Sir Stuart and I agreed on the importance of Europe to Recall of MPs the United Kingdom, I think he made it abundantly clear at every opportunity that on pretty well everything 2. Katy Clark (North Ayrshire and Arran) (Lab): else he strongly disagreed with me. He was a strong What plans he has to bring forward legislative champion of Church matters in his 13-year role as proposals on the recall of hon. Members. [122131] Second Church Estates Commissioner, and he clearly cared deeply about the House and its traditions, earning The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Miss Chloe the respect of Members in all parts of the House. Smith): The Government remain committed to establishing Our thoughts and prayers go to the families and a recall mechanism that is transparent, robust and fair. friends of both Members at this difficult time. We are grateful to the Select Committee on Political and 143 Oral Answers16 OCTOBER 2012 Oral Answers 144 Constitutional Reform for its consideration of our proposals Political and Constitutional Reform and we are now taking proper time to reflect on its recommendations. 4. Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East) (Lab): What the Government’s political and constitutional reform Katy Clark: How does the Minister intend to define agenda is up to May 2015. [122133] “serious wrongdoing” in the legislation? The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): The Miss Smith: As I have noted, we intend to introduce a Government have already introduced fixed-term recall mechanism that is transparent, robust and fair. Parliaments, a significant constitutional change, and We have set out two different sets of triggers that apply given people a say on the voting system for this House. and we are also working with the powers of the House We have established cross-party talks on party funding of Commons on these matters, including the definition and work on individual electoral registration, recall and of serious wrongdoing. lobbying reform is ongoing. We have radical measures in train to shift power from the centre to local decision House of Lords makers, whether that takes place through the reforms in the Localism Act 2011, the Local Government Finance Bill or the introduction of local enterprise partnerships 3. Mr John Spellar (Warley) (Lab): What his policy is and city deals. Although I imagine some people will say on the House of Lords (Cessation of Membership) Bill that withdrawal of the House of Lords Reform Bill [Lords], Lords Bill 21 of Session 2012-13. [122132] marks the end of the Government’s constitutional reform agenda, it is clear that that is not the case. The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Miss Chloe Smith): As my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Sheila Gilmore: The Deputy Prime Minister originally Minister made clear to the House on 3 September, the said that his reforms would be ranked with those of the Government consider that the provisions of the Bill do 1832 Great Reform Act, but given that the only legislation not address the issues that make reform of the House of that is either through or nearly through—fixed-term Lords necessary. Parliaments, the reduction in the number of MPs and individual voter registration—arguably demonstrates a Mr Spellar: I suppose I am not surprised that the lessening in democratic accountability, would not a Deputy Prime Minister did not answer that question better title be the “Great Reactionary” rather than the himself. He will be aware, probably more than most, “Great Reformer”? that there are some gaps in the legislative programme for this Session of Parliament. Will he therefore arrange The Deputy Prime Minister: If the hon. Lady is such for Lord Steel’s Bill to come before this House and an ardent reformer, why did she not get her party to allow adequate time for discussion of that modest but push for House of Lords reform? That was something useful measure, rather than allow the best to be the her party used to believe in, but it was not prepared to enemy of the good? will the means to meet the ends. Miss Smith: That is rather rich considering that it was Sir Roger Gale (North Thanet) (Con): Given the the Opposition who refused to commit to a timetable right hon. Gentleman’s European credentials, will he motion on the original legislation. We are focusing on find the time to bring the UK into line with many economic matters. European states and ensure that the perpetual right to vote for expat UK citizens is enshrined in law? Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con): Does my hon. Friend agree that now we appear The Deputy Prime Minister: As the hon. Gentleman to have sent House of Lords reform off into the distance knows, there is a time limit of 15 years. Various member we should be using any parliamentary time available to states and other countries around the world have time concentrate on the most important thing, which is limits on how long expatriates can vote in the nation getting growth back into our economy? they come from, whereas others do not. So far, although we keep the rules under review, we have not come to the Miss Smith: Yes, I certainly do.