European Parliament (House of Lords Disqualification) Regulations 2008

My Lords, I do not expect that the argument advanced by the noble Lord, Lord Hannay, about people abandoning Europe before their term of office is completed will be advanced from the Front Bench today for obvious reasons. Frankly, I am rather puzzled. I am very grateful to my noble friend Lord Trefgarne for raising this matter. I do not propose to repeat any of the arguments that he and my noble friend Lord Norton of Louth have advanced. However, it seems to me that there is a very important constitutional issue here. When I heard the noble Lord, Lord Mandelson—of Foy and wherever else it is—being sworn into this House this very week, I did not hear any exclusion from Her Majesty in respect of membership of the European Parliament or any other matter. That is quite extraordinary. Is this principle to be applied by the Government? Do the Government now feel that people should not be able to be Members of this House for life and to carry out their duties in this House for life if they are members of other assemblies? I am amazed that the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, is not participating in these proceedings. Are we to be told that the European Parliament uniquely is different from the Scottish Parliament? Why is it possible for a Member of this House to vote and speak in this House and be a Member of the Scottish Parliament but not the European Parliament? What of the promise set out in the writ that each of us received as life Peers? This is another example of this Government messing around with our constitution, creating anomalies and long-term difficulties which have not been thought through. The Government are, of all people, the victim of ill-thought-out constitutional change north of the border. On that specific point, I ask the Minister, do the Government now have a general principle that Members of this House cannot speak and vote if they are members of other legislative bodies?