Editing West Lothian question

{{redirect-distinguish|English question|Condition-of-England question}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Short description|UK constitutional anomaly}}
{{Politics of the United Kingdom}}

The '''West Lothian question''',<ref name = "hague">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29606220 |title=Labour rules out talks on 'English votes for English laws' |quote=But [[William Hague|Mr Hague]] said the issue of "English votes for English laws", known as the West Lothian Question, had been talked about for nearly 20 years but nothing had been done. |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=14 October 2014 |access-date=14 October 2014 |archive-date=14 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014080741/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29606220 |url-status=live }}</ref> also known as the '''English question''',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29281818 |title=Scottish referendum: What is the 'English Question'? |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=19 September 2014 |access-date=26 April 2015 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402002705/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-29281818 |url-status=live }}</ref> is a political issue in the [[United Kingdom]]. It concerns the question of whether [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|members of Parliament]] (MPs) from [[Northern Ireland]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]] who sit in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] should be able to vote on matters that affect only [[England]], while neither they nor MPs from England are able to vote on matters that have been [[devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved]] to the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]], the [[Scottish Parliament]] and the [[Senedd (Welsh Parliament)]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bowers |first1=Paul |title=SN/PC/2586 – The West Lothian Question |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN02586/SN02586.pdf |website=House of Commons Library |access-date=17 May 2023 |quote=The constitutional anomaly whereby Members representing Scottish constituencies (and on occasion from Welsh and Northern Irish seats) may vote on legislation which extends to England but neither they nor Members representing English seats can vote on subjects which have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament has, since the 1970s, been termed the West Lothian Question.}}</ref> The term ''West Lothian question'' was coined by [[Enoch Powell]] MP in 1977 after [[Tam Dalyell]], the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] MP for the Scottish constituency of [[West Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)|West Lothian]], raised the matter repeatedly in House of Commons debates on [[devolution]].<ref name=Econ14>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21620194-scotlands-place-united-kingdom-settled-time-deal-its-much-larger-neighbour-now |title=Now for the English question |newspaper=The Economist |date=27 September 2014 |access-date=18 September 2017 |archive-date=23 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823070724/https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21620194-scotlands-place-united-kingdom-settled-time-deal-its-much-larger-neighbour-now |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=BBC2012>{{cite web|title=West Lothian commission: Sir Emyr Jones Parry joins body|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-16594376|access-date=25 March 2013|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=17 January 2012|archive-date=20 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120031040/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-16594376|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2011 the [[UK Government]] set up the [[Commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons]], chaired by [[Sir William McKay]], former [[Clerk of the House of Commons]], to examine the question.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14831619|title=Answer sought to the West Lothian question|date=8 September 2011|publisher=BBC|work=BBC News|access-date=8 September 2011|archive-date=8 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908052806/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14831619|url-status=live}}</ref> The commission published a report in 2013 which proposed various procedural changes, including the recommendation that legislation which affects only England should require the support of a majority of MPs representing English constituencies. This recommendation was known as [[English votes for English laws]].<ref name="independent1">{{cite report | url=http://tmc.independent.gov.uk/report-of-the-commission-on-the-consequences-of-devolution-for-the-house-of-commons | title=Report of McKay Commission | date=25 March 2013 | access-date=25 March 2013 | archive-date=30 March 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330135751/http://tmc.independent.gov.uk/report-of-the-commission-on-the-consequences-of-devolution-for-the-house-of-commons/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=bbcnews250313>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21920010 |work=BBC News |title=England-only laws 'need majority from English MPs' |publisher=BBC |date=25 March 2013 |access-date=25 March 2013 |archive-date=21 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421090546/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21920010 |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the election of a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] majority government in the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], new parliamentary procedures and a [[Legislative Grand Committee]] were enacted to bring it into effect.<ref name = "egc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34599998 |title=English vote plan to become law despite objections |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=22 October 2015 |access-date=24 October 2015 |archive-date=23 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023073328/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34599998 |url-status=live }}</ref> The measures were subsequently abolished in 2021,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=13 July 2021|title=Commons scraps English votes for English laws|website=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-57828406}}</ref> returning to the previous status quo that still remains.

==Background==
The equivalent question was raised by the opponents of [[Irish Home Rule]] in defeating [[William Gladstone]]'s [[Government of Ireland Bill 1886|first (1886)]] and [[Government of Ireland Bill 1893|second (1893)]] home rule bills. [[Basil Williams (historian)|Basil Williams]] enumerated four schemes which Gladstone proposed at various stages:<ref>{{cite book |title=Home rule problems|last=Williams |first=Basil|year=1911|publisher=P.S. King & Son|access-date=29 January 2018|location=London |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/homeruleproblems00will#page/162/mode/1up |chapter=The Exclusion Or Retention Of Irish Members In The Imperial Parliament |pages=162–177 }}</ref>
# Total exclusion of Irish members. 
# Inclusion of Irish members, in reduced numbers, for all purposes. 
# Inclusion of Irish members, in their full numbers, for certain specified purposes — the "In and Out" clause. 
# Inclusion of Irish members, in their full numbers, for all purposes — the ''Omnes Omnia'' (all people) clause.

The "West Lothian question" itself was first posed in 1977 during a British [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] debate about Scottish and Welsh [[devolution]] proposals. In the 14 November sitting, [[Tam Dalyell]], the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] MP for the [[Scottish Westminster constituencies|Scottish constituency]] of [[West Lothian (UK Parliament constituency)|West Lothian]], asked,
<blockquote>For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate&nbsp;... at least 119 Honourable Members from Scotland, Wales and [[Northern Ireland]] exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on English politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?<ref>{{cite web|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1977/nov/14/scotland-bill#column_123|title=SCOTLAND BILL|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|access-date=23 February 2009|archive-date=19 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619111611/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1977/nov/14/scotland-bill#column_123|date=14 November 1977|url-status=live}}</ref></blockquote>

To illustrate his point, Dalyell chose the example of a member of Parliament for West Lothian who could vote on matters affecting the English town of [[Blackburn, Lancashire]], but not on matters concerning [[Blackburn, West Lothian]] in his own constituency. The name "West Lothian question" was later coined by the [[Ulster Unionist]] MP [[Enoch Powell]] in a response to Dalyell's speech, when he said "We have finally grasped what the Honourable Member for West Lothian is getting at. Let us call it the West Lothian question."<ref name=BBC-Q&A>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Tim |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14834752 |work=BBC News |title=Q&A: The West Lothian Question |publisher=BBC |date=13 September 2011 |access-date=9 July 2013 |archive-date=18 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718185118/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14834752 |url-status=live }}</ref> The question is more commonly assumed to refer to the anomaly that came into being in 1999, with Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland members at Westminster allowed to vote upon English matters, but MPs for English constituencies having no influence on affairs which were devolved to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14834752|title=Q&A: The West Lothian Question|work=BBC News|date=13 September 2011|publisher=BBC|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-date=11 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111103846/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14834752|url-status=live}}</ref> Dalyell was a vocal opponent of Scottish devolution in the [[1979 Scottish devolution referendum|1979]] and [[1997 Scottish devolution referendum|1997]] plebiscites. A devolved [[Scottish Parliament]] was created in [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|1999]] after a clear majority voted in favour of devolution in the second referendum.

===Legal status===
The Scottish Parliament was formed by statute, the [[Scotland Act 1998]], and is thus a creation of [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Westminster]]. No sovereign status on the Scottish Parliament is conferred, and the act has not changed the status of the Westminster Parliament as the supreme legislature of Scotland, with Westminster retaining the ability to override, or veto, any decisions taken by the Scottish Parliament. The Westminster Parliament remains the sovereign body; powers are ''devolved'' rather than transferred to the Scottish Parliament. The ability of all Westminster MPs to vote on Scottish legislation has not been legally diminished by devolution, as made clear by Section 28(7) of the Scotland Act 1998, which states that the legislative powers of the Scottish Parliament do "not affect the power of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to make laws for Scotland".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/80046--c.htm#28 |title=Scotland Act, section 28(7) |publisher=Opsi.gov.uk |date=18 February 2011 |access-date=26 February 2011 |archive-date=18 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518003613/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1998/80046--c.htm#28 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Legislation relating to ''[[reserved issues]]'' such as [[defense (military)|defence]], [[national security]], [[foreign policy]] and [[monetary]] and economic issues are voted on by all the MPs at Westminster to ensure consistency across the whole of the United Kingdom. The Scottish Parliament is not able to pass laws on these issues itself, as they were not devolved. The West Lothian question is not involved in this situation, as all parts of the Union have a say roughly proportional to their population and all are equally affected.

During [[devolution]], a convention was created to manage the power of Westminster to legislate on matters within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. This is known as the Sewel Convention, and the related Scottish parliamentary motions are now known as [[legislative consent motion]]s (previously Sewel motions).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Sewel/Introduction |title=Sewel Motions |website=[[Scottish Government]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014032452/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Sewel/Introduction |archive-date=14 October 2013}}</ref> These motions (of which there are around a dozen per year) allow MPs to vote on issues which, among other things, are within the Scottish Parliament's legislative competence. The Sewel Convention states that the Westminster Parliament will not normally legislate on devolved matters in Scotland without first obtaining the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

==English votes for English laws (EVEL)==
{{Main|English votes for English laws}}
During the 2000s a number of pieces of legislation which affected only or mainly England were passed by the UK Parliament, although the votes cast by MPs were such that the legislation would not have been passed if only the votes cast by MPs representing English constituencies had been counted.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3432767.stm | work=BBC News | title=Scots MPs attacked over fees vote | date=27 January 2004 | access-date=12 November 2013 | archive-date=9 March 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060309132017/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3432767.stm | url-status=live }}</ref> The opposition [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] commissioned a report, "Devolution, The West Lothian Question and the Future of the Union", which proposed some procedural changes restricting the participation of MPs representing non-English constituencies during the passage of bills relating only to England.

While the Conservatives were in government from 2010 to 2015 in coalition with the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]], they set up the [[McKay Commission]] to look into the question. The Commission proposed that bills in the House of Commons which affected England solely or differently should require a majority vote of MPs representing English constituencies.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21920010 | work=BBC News | title=England-only laws 'need majority from English MPs' | date=25 March 2013 | access-date=20 June 2018 | archive-date=21 April 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421090546/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21920010 | url-status=live }}</ref> The Conservative manifesto for the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]] included a proposal that England-only legislation should require approval from a [[Legislative Grand Committee]] prior to its Third Reading in the House of Commons.<ref>{{cite news | title = Election 2015: PM sets out 'English votes' timetable | work = [[BBC News Online]] | date = 2015-04-24 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32441969 | access-date = 2015-07-04 | archive-date = 18 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181018144247/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32441969 | url-status = live }}</ref> Having won a majority in that election, the Conservative government used a change in [[parliamentary procedure|standing orders]] in October 2015 to give MPs representing English (or English and Welsh) constituencies a "veto" over laws affecting only England (or only England and Wales).<ref name = "egc"/> Thus, a new law could no longer be imposed only on England by a majority of all MPs if a majority of English MPs were opposed. However, a proposed new law could still be vetoed by a majority of all MPs even if a majority of English MPs were in favour.

The measures were abolished in 2021, with the government saying that they had "added complexity and delay to the legislative process" and that their removal would allow all MPs to be represented equally.<ref name=":0"/> Although Labour welcomed the move, some Conservative backbenchers expressed concern that this simply recreated the previous problem.<ref>{{Cite web|title=English votes for English laws abolished in move labelled 'utter humiliation' by SNP|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/english-votes-for-english-laws-abolished-in-move-labelled-utter-humiliation-by-snp-3307056|access-date=2021-08-09|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en}}</ref> The abolishment of EVEL reverted the situation to the previous status quo, which remains today.

==Other possible answers to the question==
===Reversal of devolution===
Reversion of all devolved powers, and abolition of the devolved administrations. 
No voting member from one region would have power over another region, wherein the voting members of that other region do not have reciprocal rights; all regions would be treated equally.
===English devolution===
===={{anchor|Home Rule All Round}}<!-- [[Home Rule All Round]] redirects here-->English parliament or assembly====
The creation of a [[devolved English parliament|devolved English parliament or assembly]], with full legislative powers, akin to the [[Scottish Parliament]] is seen by some as a solution to this problem,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thecep.org.uk/ |title=Campaign for an English Parliament |access-date=6 November 2004 |archive-date=25 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125174203/http://www.thecep.org.uk/wordpress/conference-2008/blogging-from-the-conference-mike-knowles/ |url-status=live }}</ref> with full legislative powers also being conferred on the existing [[Welsh Parliament]]. The Westminster (United Kingdom) Parliament would continue to meet and legislate on matters of UK-wide competence such as Defence, Foreign Affairs and economic matters with the parliaments of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland legislating locally. In the early-20th-century context of Irish home rule, the equivalent option was dubbed '''Home Rule All Round'''.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kendle|first=J. E.|year=1968|title=The Round Table Movement and 'Home Rule All Round'   |jstor=2637785|journal=The Historical Journal|publisher=Cambridge University Press|volume=11|issue=2|pages=332–353|doi=10.1017/S0018246X00002041|s2cid=159471230 }}</ref>

[[Lord Falconer]], the former [[Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs]], has stated that he believes that an English Parliament would "dwarf all other institutions."<ref>{{cite web |quote=A possible answer to this might be an English Parliament consisting of all the 529 English MPs, a sort of 'English Grand Committee' – For the Majority Party in Parliament might not have the majority of English constituencies. |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4792120.stm |title=No English parliament&nbsp;— Falconer |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=10 March 2006 |access-date=10 March 2006 |archive-date=14 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314110857/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4792120.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Peter Hain]], who campaigned for a Welsh Assembly, warned that creating an English parliament or trying to stop Scottish and Welsh MPs from voting on England-only matters would break up the Union.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/28/peter-hain-warns-banning-welsh-mps-from-english-votes-will-destroy-union-91466-28952850/ |title=Peter Hain warns banning Welsh MPs from English votes will 'destroy' Union |publisher=Wales Online |date=28 June 2011 |access-date=9 July 2013 |archive-date=22 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122152546/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/28/peter-hain-warns-banning-welsh-mps-from-english-votes-will-destroy-union-91466-28952850/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Chuka Umunna]] suggested in July 2015 that the Labour Party should support the creation of a separate English parliament, as part of a federal United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/22/chuka-umunna-calls-for-english-parliament-federal-uk |title=Chuka Umunna calls for an English parliament and a federal UK |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |work=The Guardian |date=22 July 2015 |access-date=24 October 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924123621/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/22/chuka-umunna-calls-for-english-parliament-federal-uk |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Regional assemblies====
The Labour government of [[Tony Blair]] attempted to address part of the West Lothian question by introducing English [[Regional assembly (England)|regional assemblies]] with no legislative powers. Originally, it was planned that these would be directly elected. The [[London Assembly]] was the first of these, established following a [[1998 London referendum|referendum]] in 1998, in which public and media attention was focused principally on the post of [[Mayor of London]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/london_referendum/89327.stm 'Overwhelming vote for Mayor'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730030039/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/london_referendum/89327.stm |date=30 July 2017 }}, [[BBC News Online]], 8 May 1998</ref> [[Ken Livingstone]] was the first directly elected mayor of London. He started his victory speech with "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted 14 years ago", making it clear he saw the London Assembly as a recreation of a similar London wide authority to that of the [[Greater London Council]], which he had led before it was abolished in the 1980s.<ref>Paul Waugh and Andrew Grice. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090423142122/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ken-reclaims-the-capital-718744.html Ken reclaims the capital], [[The Independent]] 6 May 2000</ref>

Further progress was thwarted when a [[2004 Northern England devolution referendums|referendum]] in the [[North East England|North East]] rejected the proposal for an elected assembly in November 2004<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3984387.stm North East votes 'no' to assembly] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121041029/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3984387.stm |date=21 January 2007 }}, [[BBC News Online]], 5 November 2004</ref> leading to the shelving of similar proposals for other English regions. The Regional Development Agencies were all scrapped by March 2012 with their powers and functions being transferred either to local government or in the case of London, the Greater London Authority.

====Increased powers to English counties and cities====
[[Douglas Carswell]] and [[Daniel Hannan]] have proposed that all the powers currently devolved to the Scottish Parliament should also be devolved to the English counties and cities. This would mean that the situation of Scottish MPs voting on policy which only affected England would no longer arise, because parliament would no longer be responsible for areas of policy which affected only England. Therefore, parliament would have to choose to make policy either for the United Kingdom as a whole, or not at all.
Carswell and Hannan write: "All the fields of policy currently within the purview of the Holyrood Parliament should be transferred to English counties and cities (thereby, incidentally, answering the west Lothian Question)."<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Douglas Carswell |last1=Carswell |first1=Douglas |last2=Hannan |first2=Daniel |title=The Plan: Twelve Months to Renew Britain |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LJ5aYhMYRCsC |year=2008 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-0-9559799-0-3 |access-date=13 January 2021 |archive-date=13 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813094400/https://books.google.com/books?id=LJ5aYhMYRCsC |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Council of England====
In 2022, [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] proposed a body to be known as the "Council of England", chaired by the prime minister, to bring together [[combined authority]] mayors, representatives of local government and other stakeholders.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web | url=https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Commission-on-the-UKs-Future.pdf | title=A New Britain: Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy | website=labour.org.uk}}</ref> The Council of England would be complemented by a "Council of the UK" made up of the UK prime minister and the first ministers of the devolved governments and a "Council of the Nations and Regions" which would bring together the UK central government, devolved administrations, and representatives from the different parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The three bodies would be supported by their own intergovernmental secretariat.<ref name="auto"/>

In 2024, the new Labour government established a UK wide [[Council of the Nations and Regions]] and an England only [[Mayoral Council]] including ministers from the UK government, the [[Mayor of London]] and mayors of England's combined authorities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://labour.org.uk/change/serving-the-country/ | title=Serving the country }}</ref> Unlike the proposed "Council of England", the Mayoral Council does not include representatives from local government in areas without a combined authority.

====English territorial office and secretary of state====
The Labour Party manifesto for the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] included a commitment to establish the post of a "Minister for England" within the Department of Communities and Local Government who would work alongside the existing secretaries of state for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://ucrel.lancs.ac.uk/wmatrix/ukmanifestos2017/localpdf/Labour.pdf | title=For the many not the few - The Labour Party manifesto 2017 | website=ucrel.lancs.ac.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/37545/like-it-or-not-keir-starmer-will-not-win-without-england | title=Like it or not, Keir Starmer will not win without England | website=www.prospectmagazine.co.uk}}</ref>

A 2022 report by the [[Electoral Reform Society]] suggested the establishment of an "England Office" to act as a representative for English regional and local government to the UK government and serve to coordinate between central and local government on English devolved matters. It also called for an "English Leaders' Forum" to bring together UK ministers with combined authority mayors, single local authority mayors and council leaders.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/democracy-made-in-england-where-next-for-english-local-government/ | title=Democracy Made in England: Where Next for English Local Government? }}</ref>

In a report titled ''Devolving English Government'' published in April 2023, to counter what they described as over-centralisation and a democratic deficit in England, the [[Institute for Government]] and the [[University of Cambridge]]'s [[Bennett Institute for Public Policy]] proposed the establishment of an "Office for England" led by a "Secretary of State for England" and the formation of an "English Devolution Council". The Existing [[Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government]] would be split into a Department for Housing and Communities and an Office for England, which would take on responsibility for oversight of devolved and local governance in England. The Secretary of State for England would chair a [[United Kingdom cabinet committee|cabinet committee]] for England including other secretaries of state from departments whose remits mainly apply to England only. The English Devolution Council would include the Mayor of London and existing combined authority mayors. An interim mechanism would be put in place for the participation of local leaders in areas of England without a combined authority. The role of the council would be to debate issues related to local and regional governance in England, to call ministers and experts to provide evidence and to advise the UK central Government on English affairs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/englishdevolution | title=England needs a 'council of mayors' and Secretary of State to embed English devolution at the heart of Whitehall | date=6 April 2023 }}.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/devolving-english-government/ | title=England needs a 'council of mayors' and Secretary of State to embed English devolution at the heart of Whitehall – report | date=6 April 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications/devolving-english-government/ | title=Devolving English government }}</ref>

===Dissolution of the Union===
Another solution might be the dissolution of the United Kingdom leading to some or all of the [[countries of the United Kingdom]] (England, [[Northern Ireland]], [[Scotland]], and [[Wales]]) becoming independent sovereign states. The [[Scottish National Party]] (SNP), which campaigns for [[Scottish independence]], won an outright majority in the [[Scottish Parliament]] in the [[2011 Scottish election]]. A [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|referendum]] was held on 18 September 2014, with voters rejecting independence by 55% to 45%.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/19/world/europe/scotland-independence-vote/index.html | title = Scottish leader Alex Salmond quits after 'no' vote in independence referendum | publisher = [[CNN]] | date = 19 September 2014 | access-date = 20 September 2014 | archive-date = 20 September 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140920220921/http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/19/world/europe/scotland-independence-vote/index.html | url-status = live }}</ref> In Wales, Welsh Nationalist party [[Plaid Cymru]] holds [[Welsh independence]] as a long-term aim, while [[Propel (political party)|Propel]], formerly the Welsh National Party, more aggressively campaigns for independence. In Northern Ireland there are no mainstream political parties calling for an [[Ulster nationalism|independent Northern Irish state]], but parties calling for a [[united Ireland]] include [[Sinn Féin]] and the [[Social Democratic and Labour Party]] (SDLP).

===Reducing the number of Scottish MPs===
{{see also|Number of Westminster MPs}}
During the existence of the [[Parliament of Northern Ireland]] (1921–1972), the number of MPs elected from Northern Ireland to Westminster was below the standard ratio of MPs compared with the rest of the UK.<ref name = "bogdanor">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/24/english-votes-english-laws-absurdity-separatist |title=Why English votes for English laws is a kneejerk absurdity |work=The Guardian |date=24 September 2014 |first=Vernon |last=Bogdanor |access-date=13 December 2016 |archive-date=23 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223110501/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/24/english-votes-english-laws-absurdity-separatist |url-status=live }}</ref> During periods when the predominantly unionist MPs from Northern Ireland deprived Labour of working majorities, Conservatives supported the principle that "every member of the House of Commons is equal to every other member of the House of Commons".<ref name = "bogdanor"/> Scotland traditionally enjoyed a greater number of MPs per head of population than the rest of the UK, but this advantage was reduced significantly at the [[2005 UK general election]].<ref name = "war">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29244524 |title=Scotland votes No: How the UK could now change |first=Esther |last=Webber |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=19 September 2014 |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-date=3 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103025444/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29244524 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/scotland/article1407195.ece |title=Cut urged for Scots MPs if No wins poll |work=Sunday Times |date=4 May 2014 |access-date=23 October 2015 |first=Jason |last=Allardyce |archive-date=3 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103025444/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/scotland/article1407195.ece |url-status=dead }}</ref> An argument against the idea of having a lower number of MPs, in return for more devolved powers, is that if the national parliament takes important decisions (such as waging war) then people should be fully represented.<ref name = "war"/>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Asymmetric federalism]]
* [[Barnett formula]]
* [[British national identity]]
* [[Campaign for an English Parliament]]
* [[Cornish nationalism]]
* [[Democratic deficit]]
* [[Devolved English parliament]]
* [[English nationalism]]
* [[Federalism in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Scottish devolution]]
* [[Parliament of England]]
* [[Proportional representation]]
* [[Scottish mafia]]
* [[Legislative consent motion]]
* [[Welsh nationalism]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*''Devolution: the end of Britain?'', Tam Dalyell, Jonathan Cape, London, 1977
*''Devolution in Britain Today'', Russell Deacon, [[Manchester University Press]], 2006
*[http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2009/05/report-on-devolution-and-the-governance-of-england/ ''Report on devolution and the governance of England''], [[House of Commons Justice Committee]], 24 May 2009
*''A Stronger or Weaker Union? Public Reactions to Asymmetric Devolution in the United Kingdom'', Professor [[John Curtice]], University of Strathclyde, Publius&nbsp;– the journal of federalism, Volume 36, Number 1, Winter 2006, [[Oxford University Press]] ([http://publius.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/36/1/95.pdf PDF file])
*''The West Lothian Question'', Oonagh Gay, House of Commons Library SN/PC/2586, 26 June 2006 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20070102063652/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/notes/snpc-02586.pdf PDF file])
* N. Lloyd-Jones, "United Kingdom: four nations or one?", "History Today" (February 2015)[http://www.historytoday.com/naomi-lloyd-jones/united-kingdom-four-nations-or-one The United Kingdom: Four nations or one? | History Today]

==External links==
*[http://tmc.independent.gov.uk/ Commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons]
*[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1977/nov/14/scotland-bill#column_123 House of Commons Scotland Bill Debate], 14 November 1977
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/talking_politics/82358.stm Talking Politics: The West Lothian Question], [[BBC News Online]], 1 June 1998
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060504080045/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo980304/debtext/80304-26.htm#80304-26_head2 Hansard text of a debate on the subject in 1998] (scroll down for the start, and continue on to subsequent pages)
*[http://tmc.independent.gov.uk/report-of-the-commission-on-the-consequences-of-devolution-for-the-house-of-commons McKay Commission Report: Report of the Commission on the Consequences of Devolution for the House of Commons]
*[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scottish-independence-referendum-statement-by-the-prime-minister Statement by the Prime Minister on the Scottish Independence Referendum]
*[https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/bills/public/english-votes-for-english-laws/ UK Parliament: English votes for English laws: House of Commons bill procedure]

{{English nationalism}}
{{Devolution in the United Kingdom}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Lothian Question}}
[[Category:English nationalism]]
[[Category:Government of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:House of Commons of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politics of England]]
[[Category:Politics of Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Politics of Scotland]]
[[Category:Politics of Wales]]
[[Category:Constitution of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:British Royal Commissions]]
[[Category:Devolution in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:National questions]]