Speaking in the House of Commons, Sir Oliver Heald MP spoke up for maximum devolution to England through ‘English Votes for English Laws’. He favours the system where only English MPs vote on English Laws at all stages of the legislative process in the House of Commons. This is Option 1 of the Conservative Party’s proposals in the Government’s consultation Command Paper published yesterday.

Oliver intends to support Option 1, and is suggesting constituents might take part in the consultation and also support this. The Option is based on proposals by Professor Lord Norton, a constitutional expert. The Command Paper can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387598/implications_of_devolution_for_england_accessible.pdf
Details on how to respond to the proposals can be found on the final page.

Speaking in the House, Oliver said: “I welcome the statement. Does my right hon. Friend agree that England is more than a clutch of regions, and that, as such, it is entitled to its own devolution? In respect of the point made by the right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr Straw), we are not suggesting the establishment of an English Executive, and that in itself is a restraint on English devolution. Is it not right to give as much autonomy as possible to English MPs to make English laws? I personally think that there is a very strong case for the Norton proposals.”

Commenting he said, “This is an important issue for England now that Scotland is to have further devolution. As I said to the former Prime Minister in a previous debate on the matter, there is no reason for Gordon Brown to vote on education in Letchworth, when I have no say in Kirkcaldy. I hope constituents might take part in the consultation.”