Plans for Regional Select Committees will lead to gross misrepresentation
July 25, 2008 2:13 PM
Local MP Nick Harvey has expressed his concerns over the conclusions of the Third Report of the Modernisation Committee regarding Regional Select Committees. The report has suggested that the composition of Regional Committees should be determined in the same way as Parliamentary Select Committees, according to the make-up of the House of Commons.
However, under such proposals the South West would be grossly misrepresented and may need to bring MP's from outside the Southwest to sit on the Regional Committee.
Commenting on the proposals Nick Harvey stated:
"I welcome the idea of establishing Regional Committees; it makes perfect sense that local issues are decided on a local level.
However, the idea that Regional Committees should reflect the national vote is completely absurd. If a committee is intended to represent the issues of local people then it goes without saying it should represent the vote of local people.
These unsatisfactory proposals were passed only by the casting vote of the chairman and I would urge the Modernisation Select Committee to seriously reconsider them to ensure there is fair representation in the region."
Further Information
The report aims to promote the further devolution of power from Westminster and grant a higher degree of autonomy to the regions of England. Regional Select Committees would meet to discuss and make recommendations on regional issues in the same way that Departmental Select Committees currently operate.
In order to create a body along the proposed lines, MP's would have to be brought in from other regions of the UK to sit on the Southwest Select Committee. Early Day Motion (EDM) 2020 calling on the Modernisation Select Committee to review its decision has been tabled by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath (EDM 2020) and has been signed by Nick Harvey MP.
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