Clause 7 - Encouraging voting
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
7:00 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
Of course it is his fault; he is the Minister responsible. If he had been more forthcoming this morning, perhaps we could have had this debate in a different atmosphere. He could have said to me,
''Don't be absurd. Of course we aren't going to set up a regional assembly on the back of 11 per cent. of the electorate in a region voting yes.'' However, in the absence of any ministerial confirmation, we have to assume the worst. We must assume that, if 20 per cent. turn out and 51 per cent. of them vote yes, the Government may go ahead and set up a regional assembly.
We want to consider thresholds. We hope that, in the course of that debate, we may elicit from Ministers some guidance as to the internal flexible and non-statutory thresholds that they will impose on themselves. That would be extremely helpful to us all in our consideration of these matters. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Further consideration adjourned.—[Mr. Woolas]
Adjourned accordingly at four minutes past Seven o'clock till Tuesday 10 December at half-past Ten o'clock.