MPs demand reform of 'complex and unnecessary' English Votes for English Laws system

The Procedure Committee has called for reform of the system

MPs in the House of Commons (screen grab/parliament.uk)

The Government’s implementation of “English Votes for English Laws” in Parliament does not command the respect of MPs from across the UK and contains elements which are are “complex and largely unnecessary”, a committee of MPs has said.

The Procedure Committee said the system, introduced by the Conservative government, needed to be re-drafted and simplified - warning that the system needed to be changed “if [it] is to be sustainable through the political stresses it must expect to face in the future”.

“The complexity of a system which seeks to join two separate functions—a political voice and a legislative veto—has led to imperfect results,” the report reads.

“It is this contradiction at the heart of the system’s design that the Government must urgently address.”

The cross party group of MPs called for any new system to be made on the basis of a “consensus” of MPs from a different part of the UK.

“One year on from their introduction, we find that the new EVEL procedures do not command the respect and support across all parties that they should if the system is to be sustainable through the political stresses it must expect to face in the future,” the MPs said.

“This is not a sound basis for a major long-term change to the legislative process in this House.

“When reviewing the operation of the present system, and contemplating any change, it is vital that the Government seek consensus from Members representing constituencies in each constituent nation of the United Kingdom for the basis of a system which will meet its policy objectives.”

Charles Walker, chair of the Procedure Committee, said: “I hope that the Government will reflect on our report and use it as an opportunity to greatly simplify the procedures around EVEL.

“The current procedural complexities around English votes for English laws do no credit to the House.”

The current system was introduced by the Government without any legislation, through standing orders in the House of Commons.

The Scottish National Party described the system as "absurd" at its introduction.

Under the current EVEL method, the Speaker designates a part of the bill as relating to just England or England and Wales.

An extra committee stage composed of either a committee of English MPs or a “legislative grand committee” of all English or English and Welsh MPs is applied to the bill.

The idea was supposed to solve the so-called West Lothian question whereby Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh MPs are able to vote on matters that only affect England.