Westminster notes
Social policy review
The Northern Ireland Office is not involved in David Cameron’s policy review because social policy is a devolved matter, a spokeswoman told agendaNi.
However, a Downing Street spokeswoman said it may consult the devolved administrations if a reserved matter comes up during the review, which is due to be completed at the end of October.
It was prompted by the summer riots in England and seeks to ensure policies are bold enough to fix a “broken society.”
Downing Street has said that the policy review would look at schools, family policy, parenting, communities, human rights, health and safety, cultural, legal, bureaucratic problems, public service delivery and “the signals that government sends about the kind of behaviours that are encouraged and rewarded.”
Reserved matters currently include the national minimum wage, internet regulation, broadcasting, the National Lottery and data protection.
Fashion clash
Upon asking Home Secretary Theresa May her view on whether workplace dress codes complied with equality legislation, Naomi Long was surprised to hear the Minister’s response.
“Today I am wearing a silver grey trouser suit and a pair of shoes from LK Bennett,” May declared.
She added: “I have not found that traditional genderbased workplace dress codes have held me back. I indeed believe that they encourage a sense of professionalism in the workplace.”
Intrigued, Long proceeded to the Table Office to ask if she could receive “regular sartorial insights from ministers via written questions.”
She told the House: “I was advised that because the choices ministers make before leaving home, such as ‘whether to wash, shave or wear blue underpants’ are entirely personal and are not part of their ministerial responsibility or subject to government policy, it would not be in order for me to do so.”
Long queried whether it was in order for a Minister to respond to a serious question (which was put to Long by a constituent) with a “frivolous, albeit fascinating, fashion commentary.”
Speaker John Bercow replied that he could only judge whether the question is orderly, rather than an answer, and directed Long back to the Table Office.
West Lothian Commission due
MPs from the devolved regions may no longer be allowed to vote on legislation affecting only England, following the announcement that a commission on the West Lothian question is to be established.
The Programme for Government promised a commission but it was a Conservative backbench MP’s private member’s Bill which proved to be the impetus for the Government to make a move on it.
Harriett Baldwin’s Bill sought to outline the financial and legal implications of any possible legislation on England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, prior to gaining royal assent.
Political Reform Minister Mark Harper said the commission’s primary task should be “to examine how this House, and Parliament as a whole, can deal most effectively with business that affects England wholly or primarily, when at the same time similar matters in some or all of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are lawfully and democratically the responsibility of the separate Parliament or assemblies.”
A small group of independent experts with constitutional, legal and parliamentary expertise will carry out the work.
Proposals and terms of reference will be brought to the Speaker for consultation after the House returns in October. Parties will get a chance to have their say when the commission has completed its work.
