- COMPLETE DEVOLUTION
- It would complete devolution within the UK, and resolve the English Question, by giving England its own parliament.
- It would create a more coherent system of devolution, with a federal UK Parliament and government responsible for UK-wide issues — rather than, at present, these combined with English issues.
- It would give political and institutional expression to English identity and interests.
- TENSION
- It would create an additional layer of government and create tensions between the UK government and an English parliament and government.
- ‘Devolution all round’ would not create a coherent and equitable system because England is much bigger than the other nations of the Union.
- SUPPORT
- There is only limited support in England for an English parliament.
- Lots of problems solved by EVEL.
- Bills certified by the speaker as England-only are considered in a Legislative Grand Committee — an additional stage of the legislative process — where MPs representing English constituencies can veto them, or parts of them. But these bills still require majority support in the House of Commons, and MPs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can vote on (and thus block) them at the third reading.
- Used for the first time for the Housing and Planning Bill in 2016.
