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Former Shadow Leader gives evidence on English Votes for English Laws

27 June 2016

The Constitution Committee hears evidence from the former Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and from Bill team officials whose legislation has been subject to the English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) procedure.

Witnesses

Wednesday 29 June in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster

First panel

At 10.30am

  • Chris Bryant MP, former Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Labour Party

Second panel

At 11.00am

  • Elizabeth Gardiner, First Parliamentary Counsel
  • Jonathan Jones, Treasury Solicitor and Head of the Government Legal Service
  • Adam Pile, Head of the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Secretariat, Economic and Domestic Secretariat, Cabinet Office

Possible questions

In the first session, possible questions the Committee may put to the witnesses include:

  • Would you anticipate a future Labour Government retaining EVEL? If not, would it aim to address the West Lothian Question in a different way?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing EVEL through House of Commons Standing Orders rather than through legislation?
  • How does EVEL affect the role of the House of Commons in representing all parts of the UK?

In the second session, possible questions the Committee may put to the witnesses include:

  • Has the drafting of legislation been affected in any other way by the introduction of the EVEL procedures in the Commons?
  • Would drafting to ensure that Bills or parts of Bills are certified as England only (or England and Wales)
  • Does EVEL affect how Bills are handled in the House of Lords?

Further information

Image: Parliamentary copyright