Lords Committee to question Nick Clegg and Greg Clark
The House of Lords Constitution Committee will this week take evidence from Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP and Cabinet Office Minister Greg Clark MP. The session is the annual session the Committee holds with the Deputy Prime Minister and will cover the range of his activities as the minister with lead responsibility for political and constitutional reform.
The evidence session will start at 10.30am on Wednesday 9 April in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.
Areas the Committee may cover with the Ministers include:
- How successful has the Government's political and constitutional reform programme been?
- How has the role of DPM evolved since 2010? Would Mr Clegg advise a future DPM in a coalition government to take on a cross-government role or serve as a departmental Secretary of State?
- What level of departure from collective ministerial responsibility is acceptable in a coalition government?
- On an issue of such constitutional importance as a referendum on membership of the EU, should a coalition government be expected to reach a collective view? Is a private member's bill the appropriate mechanism for delivering such a referendum?
- Would it be appropriate for the Parliament Acts to be used to pass the European Union (Referendum) Bill?
- Would the UK Government's duty to represent the interests of Scotland continue to apply between the point of any “yes” vote in the referendum and the day Scotland became an independent state? Should Scottish MPs leave the House of Commons following any “yes” vote?
- Should the Welsh devolution settlement be changed so that the Welsh Assembly has power over everything not specifically reserved to Westminster?
- Why have the Government changed their position on Dan Byles MP's private member's bill for limited reform of the House of Lords? How many peers do the Government think will voluntarily retire under the Bill?
