English only:

Nick Harvey · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 19.22

Oh, I get so few opportunities these days, but now our new Welsh transport correspondent has given me one.

Alexia · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 19.37

Sadly, I don't work on those. This rather soulless hunk of French/Brummagem aluminium is what I call the office:

Nick Harvey · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 19.49

Ah, so the Welsh are subsidising both Birmingham and France by purchasing their trains and bringing much needed employment to those two down-trodden parts of the world.

Good for Wales.

Alexia · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 20.02

Nick Harvey wrote:Ah, so the Welsh are subsidising both Birmingham and France by purchasing their trains and bringing much needed employment to those two down-trodden parts of the world.

Good for Wales.

Almost.... we've only got them because First Trans Pennine didn't want them any more....they are leased.

Incidentally (and I realise I'm taking this topic wildly OT, for which I apologise) the freshly refurbished 158s (originally built 1988-91) have powerpoints at every seat; yet these don't.

Steve in Pudsey · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 20.08

What I do think is totally unacceptable is that Members of the Westminster Parliament representing seats in Scotland and Wales are able to vote on matters which don't concern their constituents as they are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.

Alexia · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 20.20

Steve in Pudsey wrote:What I do think is totally unacceptable is that Members of the Westminster Parliament representing seats in Scotland and Wales are able to vote on matters which don't concern their constituents as they are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.

However, all MPs are still eligible to vote on matters which only affect certain regions of England too. Do you think that MPs from landlocked central constituencies should be ineligible to vote in matters relating to English ports, fisheries and dockyards?

barcode · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 20.21

Steve in Pudsey wrote:What I do think is totally unacceptable is that Members of the Westminster Parliament representing seats in Scotland and Wales are able to vote on matters which don't concern their constituents as they are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.

Ah yes the West Lothian Question, by Tam Dalyell. I have to agree with you, yet the Tories are in no mood to change this

Steve in Pudsey · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 20.29

Alexia wrote:
Steve in Pudsey wrote:What I do think is totally unacceptable is that Members of the Westminster Parliament representing seats in Scotland and Wales are able to vote on matters which don't concern their constituents as they are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.
However, all MPs are still eligible to vote on matters which only affect certain regions of England too. Do you think that MPs from landlocked central constituencies should be ineligible to vote in matters relating to English ports, fisheries and dockyards?

Yes, people (and businesses) in those inland constituencies buy goods that are transported through those ports and eat fish so need to have their interests represented.

It's not a fair comparison - there isn't a an equivalent regional assembly to which those decisions are devolved. That's not the same as a Scottish MP voting about English tuition fees.

Alexia · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 20.55

Steve in Pudsey wrote:It's not a fair comparison - there isn't a an equivalent regional assembly to which those decisions are devolved. That's not the same as a Scottish MP voting about English tuition fees.

Are you saying no Scottish people go to English universities?

Steve in Pudsey · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 21.15

Of course not. But English people go to Scottish universities and English MPs had no say in Scottish policy.

I guess what I'm arguing for is a mechanism that where legislation or policy passed at Westminster will become de-facto English Law only, because the devolved governments do their own thing, is debated by a commons committee that only includes members representing English committees. This could be held in the main chamber on the same basis as a Committee of the Whole House.

Lorns · Sun 23 Oct, 2011 21.47

I still have a serious hump about the billions of pounds we send overseas in international aid. We as a country are in dire straits. Charity begins at home, so as a person from the apparently wealthy SE, i have no problems with my taxes being spent to help those in the North, Wales, Ireland or Scotland and us suvveners. I'm quite happy that what i put in the pot helps my fellow countrymen. So long as we come first and then whats left can help others. Or was what i taught at school about economics aload of old tosh.