DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE OPTIONS FOR AN ENGLISH PARLIAMENT MEG RUSSELL AND JACK SHELDON OPTIONS FOR AN ENGLISH PARLIAMENT Meg Russell and Jack Sheldon The Constitution Unit University College London March 2018 ISBN: 978-1-903903-80-3 Published by: The Constitution Unit School of Public Policy University College London 29-31 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9QU United Kingdom Tel: 020 7679 4977 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit © The Constitution Unit, UCL, 2018 This report is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. First published March 2018 Front cover image: © Gareth Young, 2010. Contents List of Tables and Figures ...................................................................................................................... viii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... ix Executive summary .................................................................................................................................... x 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Part 1: Context ............................................................................................................................................ 4 2. The history of the English Parliament idea .................................................................................... 5 Pre-1997 .............................................................................................................................................. 5 1997–2014 ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Post-2014 ............................................................................................................................................ 8 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 9 3. Arguments for and against an English Parliament ...................................................................... 10 Key arguments for an English Parliament ................................................................................... 10 Key arguments against an English Parliament ............................................................................ 12 Public attitudes to proposals for an English Parliament ............................................................ 13 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 17 4. Alternative models for an English Parliament ............................................................................. 19 The separately elected model ......................................................................................................... 19 The dual mandate model ................................................................................................................ 20 Other models .................................................................................................................................... 22 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 22 5. UK and overseas experience .......................................................................................................... 24 UK experience .................................................................................................................................. 24 Overseas experience ........................................................................................................................ 26 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 29 Part 2: Powers and functions .................................................................................................................. 30 6. The policy powers of an English Parliament ............................................................................... 31 Existing UK experience .................................................................................................................. 31 Overseas experience ........................................................................................................................ 33 What English Parliament supporters have said ........................................................................... 36 How and where would the policy powers of an English Parliament be defined? .................. 36 v What specific policy powers might be devolved to the English Parliament? ......................... 38 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 41 7. Financial arrangements for an English Parliament ..................................................................... 44 Existing UK experience .................................................................................................................. 44 Overseas experience ........................................................................................................................ 46 What English Parliament supporters have said ........................................................................... 49 Fiscal devolution .............................................................................................................................. 50 Grant funding ................................................................................................................................... 50 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 52 8. An English government? ................................................................................................................ 53 Existing UK experience .................................................................................................................. 53 Overseas experience ........................................................................................................................ 55 What English Parliament supporters have said ........................................................................... 56 Government formation and confidence ....................................................................................... 57 Government structure and ministerial portfolios ....................................................................... 59 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 62 9. How business in an English Parliament would be organised .................................................... 64 Existing UK experience .................................................................................................................. 64 Overseas experience ........................................................................................................................ 66 What English Parliament supporters have said ........................................................................... 67 Procedural options and questions ................................................................................................. 67 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 72 10. The implications of an English Parliament for the UK’s central institutions ....................... 73 Existing UK experience .................................................................................................................. 73 Overseas experience ........................................................................................................................ 74 What English Parliament supporters have said ........................................................................... 76 Powers and financial arrangements ............................................................................................... 78 The structure of the UK government ........................................................................................... 79 The structure of the UK parliament ............................................................................................. 80 Intergovernmental relations, and a federal UK? ......................................................................... 83 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 84 Part 3: Structure and composition .......................................................................................................... 86 vi 11. The structure and size of an English Parliament ......................................................................