Parliament (Participation of Members of the House of Commons) Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am talking about a Prime Minister. I shall carry on. It might make sense to deny Scottish MPs the right to speak on English Bills on those occasions when there is a free vote, but only if it were a free vote. If that had been the law the Hunting Act, for instance, would not have had 50 or so Scottish MPs voting against a sport that affected only the English countryside. As we know, Scotland had already ruled on the subject. But I cannot see how Scottish MPs, who like all other MPs in the United Kingdom are subject to their parties’ Whips, could be disallowed from voting on a government Bill, even it were one that affected only England. Short of abolishing the Scottish Parliament, or perhaps just drastically clipping its wings, I do not see the solution to the problem. I was interested to hear that the earlier speakers felt as strongly as I do that the Bill, if passed, would help to loosen the bonds that bind England and Scotland together. My SNP friends see this Bill, as they do all other attempts to resolve the West Lothian question, as a win-win situation for their cause. Although such a Bill might help to stem the tide of anti-Scottish feeling in England, it would also result in a weakening of the Union. That is what those of us who believe passionately in the Union most fear. Like other speakers, I believe that Scotland needs England and that England needs Scotland and that any greatness or influence that we may still have in the world depends on us remaining a united United Kingdom. Unless the voting rights of Scottish MPs can be limited only to free votes on English matters, I cannot support the Bill. But I much welcome the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Adams, and look forward to hearing her views on this matter.