Tuesday Volume 545 22 May 2012 No. 8 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 22 May 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 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] 967 22 MAY 2012 968 The Deputy Prime Minister: If the birds and the bees House of Commons were to deliver that blessing to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge—and, indeed, the nation as a whole—that little girl would be covered by these provisions and Tuesday 22 May 2012 changes to the rules of succession, because they operate as from the time of the declaration at the Commonwealth summit last October. It is important to remember that The House met at half-past Two o’clock the rules are de facto in place, even though de jure they still need to be implemented through legislation in the way I have described. PRAYERS Mark Lancaster: Will the Deputy Prime Minister [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] confirm that there are no plans to change the requirement for the monarch to be a communicant of the Church of England? BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS The Deputy Prime Minister: There are no plans whatsoever. LONDON LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (NO.2)BILL [LORDS] Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab): In the interests of Motion made, democracy and dragging the monarchy and the office of That the promoters of the London Local Authorities and Head of State into the 21st century, can it be arranged Transport for London (No. 2) Bill [Lords], which was originally introduced in the House of Lords in Session 2007–08 on 22 January for the new Bill to permit alternative candidates to 2008, may have leave to proceed with the Bill in the current stand as Head of State, given the misgivings about King Session according to the provisions of Standing Order 188B Charles III? (Revival of bills).—(The Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.) The Deputy Prime Minister: The hon. Gentleman mentions what sounds like another attempt to resurrect Hon. Members: Object. the alternative vote system, which I do not think was To be considered on Tuesday 12 June. greeted with universal acclaim last year and would not apply in this area either. More seriously, I do not think he should belittle the enormity of this change. We are getting rid of some very long-standing, discriminatory Oral Answers to Questions anomalies on male primogeniture and the rule preventing heirs to the throne from marrying—uniquely among all religions—Roman Catholics. That is real progress that has not been achieved in a long time. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER House of Lords Reform The Deputy Prime Minister was asked— 3. Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP): What assessment Royal Succession he has made of the effect of his proposals on House of Lords reform on the relationship between the two 2. Mrs Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) Houses. [108463] (Con): What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals on the rules governing succession to the The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): The Crown. [108461] Government believe that the primacy of the House of Commons will be maintained. We accept, of course, 5. Mark Lancaster (Milton Keynes North) (Con): that the conventions and agreements between the two What plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals Houses will continue to adapt and evolve, but this is on the rules governing succession to the Crown. [108465] compatible with the continued primacy of the House of Commons. I stress that this is not only the view of the The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Nick Clegg): We are Government; the majority of the Joint Committee on working closely with the New Zealand Government to the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill said that the secure the agreement of all the Commonwealth realms current basis to the introduction of UK primary legislation on royal “on which Commons primacy rests would suffice to ensure its succession. Legislation will be introduced once we have continuation”. secured this agreement and when parliamentary time allows. Mark Durkan: The Deputy Prime Minister will hear many Members wax precious about the primacy of this Mrs Grant: If the birds and the bees of the romantic Chamber, but this Whip-tamed Chamber spends far Isle of Anglesey were to conspire and bless our future less time considering legislation and has a poor rate of King of England and his wife with the patter of tiny success with amendments. Is there not something pathetic feet before this law was enacted, and if that royal baby about self-respecting democratic legislators having to turned out to be a little girl, would she succeed to the rely on the fact that another House is unelected to claim throne? legitimate primacy? 969 Oral Answers22 MAY 2012 Oral Answers 970 The Deputy Prime Minister: I share the hon. Gentleman’s The Deputy Prime Minister: We hope to publish the view that, although some concerns about the primacy Bill well before the summer recess. The amount of time of the House of Commons need to be taken seriously, that would be allocated to it would be the subject of some are overstated, not least because the changes that discussion through the usual channels and then a possible we published in our draft Bill would mean that, because timetable vote in the House of Commons. the other place would be elected in instalments, it would never have a more recent, fresher democratic mandate Electoral Register than Members sitting in this place. When combined with other differences of mandate, constituency and so 4. Amber Rudd (Hastings and Rye) (Con): What steps forth, that approach will ensure that the relationship he is taking to improve the completeness and accuracy between the two continues to guarantee the primacy of of the electoral register. [108464] this place. The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr Mark Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest) (Con): It is interesting Harper): We are bringing forward our Electoral Registration that the Deputy Prime Minister quoted selectively from and Administration Bill, which has its Second Reading the Joint Committee report. That report also stated: in the House tomorrow, to improve the completeness “We concur…that Clause 2 of the draft Bill is not capable…of and accuracy of the electoral register. preserving the primacy of the House of Commons.” Amber Rudd: How does my hon. Friend expect individual Does he accept that? voter registration to help with efforts to get more disabled people and young people registered to vote? The Deputy Prime Minister: I accept that the Joint Committee received evidence, particularly from Lords Mr Harper: It is certainly true that there has been a Pannick and Goldsmith, suggesting that the two Parliament lot of focus on the possible risks to this approach. Acts should be incorporated and reflected in clause 2 to When we debate Second Reading tomorrow, I hope that clarify this issue of primacy beyond doubt. We are colleagues will see that we have taken a lot of steps to actively considering that and all the Joint Committee’s deal with that. However, there are also a number of recommendations. opportunities, one of which is through the online registration system that we are introducing. We hope that disabled Meg Munn (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab/Co-op): Would it people, particularly those with visual impairments, will not have been sensible to start out by looking at the find it more convenient and easier to register. We may powers and responsibilities of the second House first, therefore find that, among certain groups, we have a rather than just continuing as we are? better chance of getting people registered to vote and able to exercise their democratic rights. The Deputy Prime Minister: It is important to stress Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw) (Lab): Will that the Joint Committee did not make that suggestion, the Minister publish an ongoing league table showing and neither have a succession of cross-party committees the number and percentage of people on the electoral and commissions over the last several years. All of them register? have agreed that there is nothing incompatible about increasing the legitimacy of the other place, on the basis Mr Harper: Information about people on the electoral of the very simple, uncontroversial principle that the register is, I understand, already published by the Office people who make the laws of the land should be elected for National Statistics. It is difficult to publish a league by the people who obey the laws of the land, and that table showing the percentage of eligible voters, because this matter should in no way need to wait for a wider no clear information is available about the number of discussion on the respective powers of the two places. eligible people in each parliamentary constituency.However, information on the number of people registered to vote Mike Crockart (Edinburgh West) (LD): Given that in each area is regularly published by the Office for we are now part of a multicultural and polytheistic National Statistics. society, does my right hon. Friend agree that now is the time to remove bishops from the House of Lords, rather Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon) (Con): Can than increasing the proportion of seats that they would my hon. Friend assure me that all appropriate steps will hold? be taken to reduce the risk of people falling off the register, and that registration officers will have all the tools available to them to ensure that registration is The Deputy Prime Minister: I know there are strongly maximised in their local areas? held views on this issue, as on many issues to do with reform of the other place.