Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill - Clause 19 - Advice of the Electoral Commission
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
5:00 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
Thank you, Mr. Benton. With your permission, given that we have discussed this clause fairly thoroughly, I should be happy to widen my remarks slightly and then deal with the issues that I would have raised under clause stand part, if that is convenient for the Committee. No doubt you will draw the appropriate conclusions from the ebb and flow of the debate, Mr. Benton.
I return to the response that the Minister just gave and remind him that one of his principal themes throughout the debate has been that regional assemblies are about devolving power from central Government. Will that mean that accountability for decision making in certain fields will move from Parliament and Ministers, who would normally be accountable, to the regional assemblies, which will have that power devolved to them? If the answer is no, surely the Minister's assertion that this process involves devolving power down from central Government is shown to be a scam. If the answer is yes, Committee members will have real concerns about their ability to perform their function as Members of Parliament and to hold Ministers to account.