Points of Order (Hansard, 27 January 1994)

§ Mr. Andrew Welsh (Angus, East)
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. You will be aware that the Committee of Selection has appointed five hon. Members representing English constituencies to the Standing Committee considering the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill. Standing Order No. 86(2) imposes on the Committee of Selection a duty to have regard to the qualifications of Members to serve on Committees.
The Committee of Selection receives specific information about hon. Members' participation in debates before the Committee stage of a Bill, which is a major criterion in the selection of Standing Committee members. In this instance, not one of those English Members spoke or actively participated in such debates. They have not an ounce of mandate in the form of a Scottish vote; yet, in consideration of a purely Scottish Bill, they will constitute the majority that determines the future of Scottish local government.
I know, Madam Speaker, that you emphasise the fact that ours is a United Kingdom Parliament, and that hon. Members can speak on any matter. It is, however, very unfair and blatantly undemocratic for the future of Scottish local government to be decided in this way, against the wishes of the Scottish people. Will you examine the matter, and advise us on how the Chairman of the Committee of Selection could explain, on the Floor of the House, the reasoning behind a decision that has scunnered people in Scotland and re-emphasised the current democratic deficit in relation to Scottish matters?

Several hon. Members
rose—

§ Madam Speaker
Order. I shall take one more point of order from each side.

§ Mr. John Butcher (Coventry, South-West)
Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I entirely agree with what the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) said about the democratic deficit. You will know, Madam Speaker, that the Labour party, the Conservative party and, I believe, the Liberal party have selected large numbers of Scots to represent English constituencies; as far as I am aware, the reverse has not occurred. As we have been generous and decent in this regard, should not reciprocal arrangements exist in Scotland? That would also deal with the hon. Gentleman's point.

§ Madam Speaker
I think that, after all, I have heard enough points of order on that particular matter.

§ Mr. Paul Flynn (Newport, West)
rose—

§ Madam Speaker
No, I have heard enough. We are not going to have a debate about procedure. I can now help the House, and through the House—as the hon. Member for Angus, East (Mr. Welsh) suggested—the people of Scotland.
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of his point of order, which allows me to make two points clear. First, appointments to Standing Committees made by the Committee of Selection are final, and do not require the House's approval. Secondly, as page 618 of "Erskine May" makes clear, The interpretation of the order of reference of a select committee is … a matter for the committee. It would therefore be wrong for me to comment on the judgment of the Committee of Selection, its Chairman or any of its members about the qualifications of the Standing Committee members that it selects. The House has entrusted the responsibility to the Committee of Selection, and must leave it with that Committee.