§ 10. Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet)If he will make a statement about the Cabinet Office's co-ordination of the Government's constitutional reforms in respect of changing the system of electing hon. Members. [63727]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Peter Kilfoyle)The Cabinet Office's role is to ensure that proper collective consideration takes place and that the Government's business is conducted in a timely and efficient way.
§ Sir Sydney ChapmanThere has been a deafening silence since the publication of the Jenkins report, save for general opprobrium during the debate in the Chamber. Can the hon. Gentleman confirm, on behalf of the Government, that there will not be a referendum on that issue in the lifetime of this Parliament?
§ Mr. KilfoyleAs the hon. Gentleman knows, the Jenkins commission said that the matter was extremely complex and that, whatever changes might be anticipated, they could not be introduced before the next election. The Home Secretary stated that there should be a wide and open debate on any proposals, and that debate is now under way.
§ Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire)The hon. Gentleman cannot get away with that answer, in view of what was in the Labour manifesto. Will he explain how the Government define the difference between a pledge, a promise and a commitment?
§ Mr. KilfoyleI prefer to say that we said in the manifesto that we would set up a commission. We did that, and it has reported. I should add that, of our 177 manifesto commitments, 172 have already been implemented or are already under way.