To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to undertake a consultation based on independent market research about whether people would be more likely to vote in elections if polling stations were open at weekends.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to undertake a consultation based on independent market research about whether people would be more likely to vote in elections if polling stations were open at weekends.

Have Opposition Members forgotten so completely that among the nations of the United Kingdom is the nation of England, which has been badly served by the democratic deficit? Again and again we have heard from them arguments over geography.

Have Opposition Members forgotten so completely that among the nations of the United Kingdom is the nation of England, which has been badly served by the democratic deficit? Again and again we have heard from them arguments over geography.

The hon. Gentleman says I have a certain number of voters. What he and his Government colleagues are doing in the Bill is reductively defining parliamentary democracy as It states:"““In this Schedule the 'United Kingdom electoral quota' means—"

I say...

The hon. Gentleman says I have a certain number of voters. What he and his Government colleagues are doing in the Bill is reductively defining parliamentary democracy as It states:"““In this Schedule the 'United Kingdom electoral quota' means—"

I say...

The hon. Gentleman just slipped in, I hope, a reference to a voting system that will be used only every five years. I hope he will not support a five-year fixed-term Parliament, and that I might be able to entice him towards a four-year fixed-term Parliament, which would be a...

The hon. Gentleman just slipped in, I hope, a reference to a voting system that will be used only every five years. I hope he will not support a five-year fixed-term Parliament, and that I might be able to entice him towards a four-year fixed-term Parliament, which would be a...

I read reports of the Gould report. I did not read every single word of the Gould report itself, but I read enough to tell me that it conclusively showed that the problem with the combination of votes in Scotland arose because of the unique nature of the ballot papers...

I read reports of the Gould report. I did not read every single word of the Gould report itself, but I read enough to tell me that it conclusively showed that the problem with the combination of votes in Scotland arose because of the unique nature of the ballot papers...

I apologise, Mr Deputy Speaker. My point is that the Welsh media are in a parlous state, so we cannot take for granted their capacity to respond to the UK media at election time.

I apologise, Mr Deputy Speaker. My point is that the Welsh media are in a parlous state, so we cannot take for granted their capacity to respond to the UK media at election time.

I am grateful, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have just one further point. The hon. Member for Foyle also raised an issue about whether the language on the forms was clear enough about spoiled ballot papers. The form mentions the need to return all the spoiled papers, but that might leave...

I am grateful, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have just one further point. The hon. Member for Foyle also raised an issue about whether the language on the forms was clear enough about spoiled ballot papers. The form mentions the need to return all the spoiled papers, but that might leave...

I thank my hon. Friend for emphasising the principles of the respect agenda concerning the devolved Administration, but it should also apply to this Chamber. Is it not odd to have a Deputy Prime Minister who relies on deputies to appear in the Chamber more than he does?

I thank my hon. Friend for emphasising the principles of the respect agenda concerning the devolved Administration, but it should also apply to this Chamber. Is it not odd to have a Deputy Prime Minister who relies on deputies to appear in the Chamber more than he does?

She no longer wants me. As the hon. Member for Stone said earlier, two different thresholds are proposed. One is that there will be a 25% yes threshold—that is, that we would have to secure 25% of the electorate to count for a yes, and that can be found in...

She no longer wants me. As the hon. Member for Stone said earlier, two different thresholds are proposed. One is that there will be a 25% yes threshold—that is, that we would have to secure 25% of the electorate to count for a yes, and that can be found in...

The hon. Gentleman is bang on. The Deputy Prime Minister, not content with having some opposition to his aspirations for a change in the voting system, has moved on to look for even more opponents to changes in the voting system, and he has succeeded in that end, because he...

The hon. Gentleman is bang on. The Deputy Prime Minister, not content with having some opposition to his aspirations for a change in the voting system, has moved on to look for even more opponents to changes in the voting system, and he has succeeded in that end, because he...

It might not have been entirely inappropriate for the hon. Lady to intervene, because, as I recall from my visit to Corby as a young man, most of it was populated by Scots and Welsh people, who were there to set up the steelworks at the time. On the date...

It might not have been entirely inappropriate for the hon. Lady to intervene, because, as I recall from my visit to Corby as a young man, most of it was populated by Scots and Welsh people, who were there to set up the steelworks at the time. On the date...

May I also mischievously ask my hon. Friend whether, in her experience, it has happened to Ministers in the past three and a half years?

May I also mischievously ask my hon. Friend whether, in her experience, it has happened to Ministers in the past three and a half years?

At the risk of being incorrect on the record, I would like to think that, no, it did not happen to me, and that I was very clear about my legislation.

At the risk of being incorrect on the record, I would like to think that, no, it did not happen to me, and that I was very clear about my legislation.

May I mischievously ask the hon. Lady if that ever happened to her?

May I mischievously ask the hon. Lady if that ever happened to her?

I am very surprised by the technical amendments that the Government have introduced. I have previously brought to the House's attention the fact that, together with my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Cathy Jamieson), I am currently still a Member of the Scottish Parliament. In light of...

I am very surprised by the technical amendments that the Government have introduced. I have previously brought to the House's attention the fact that, together with my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Cathy Jamieson), I am currently still a Member of the Scottish Parliament. In light of...

The hon. Lady mentions the 1980s, the poll tax and Thatcherism. Would she not have preferred to have an independent Scotland, and not have Margaret Thatcher and the poll tax?

The hon. Lady mentions the 1980s, the poll tax and Thatcherism. Would she not have preferred to have an independent Scotland, and not have Margaret Thatcher and the poll tax?

I would have to say that the current Administration do not quite have my record and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, who was also a Minister. It is deeply disappointing that the only way I see this Government engaging with Members of the Scottish...

I would have to say that the current Administration do not quite have my record and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, who was also a Minister. It is deeply disappointing that the only way I see this Government engaging with Members of the Scottish...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

In my case, I have the law on my side.

In my case, I have the law on my side.

I am happy to give way, my goodness!

I am happy to give way, my goodness!