EVEL system 'unstable' warn MPs on select committee

The so-called English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) principle came into effect in October through changes to parliamentary rules known as standing orders. It was set up to tackle the 'West Lothian question' of Scottish MPs having a say on laws that affect England and Wales.

Under the new arrangements a 'grand committee of English MPs' has been given the power to veto legislation which only affects their constituents, if the speaker deems the vote to be relevant to England only.

RELATED CONTENT

EVEL used for first time in Commons

Beyond good and EVEL

But the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has warned that since the scheme has scant support, it would likely be overridden “as soon as there is a non-Conservative majority” in the Commons.

The committee also expressed concerns about the “complexity and workability” of the rules.

Committee chair Bernard Jenkin said the supposed solution to the issue of Scottish MPs having a say over laws affecting England and Wales only has “little cross party support”.

He added: “The new Standing Orders should have been drafted by the highly-experienced Clerks of The House of Commons rather than by Government officials.”

And he called for a “more comprehensible” set of proposals that all parties can “get behind”.

In its report, the committee said: “The stridency of the opposition to the new Standing Orders from the Opposition Benches underlines their vulnerability.

“With only the Conservative Party in favour of the new arrangements, these Standing Orders face a high risk of being overridden as soon as there is a non-Conservative majority in the House of Commons.”

Clerk of the House of the Commons William McKay has branded the new rules a “forest in which I lose myself”.