WILLIAM Hague has signalled that the Conservatives could seek to force an early vote on banning Scottish MPs from so-called England only laws before the next General Election.
The Commons Leader unveiled the Coalition's Command Paper on English Votes for English Laws (EVEL), which sets out various options for restricting the voting rights of Scotland's 59 MPs on legislation, which affects only England, and which could mean that a majority of English MPs would have the power to veto a UK Government Bill.
The options range from a complete voting ban on Scottish MPs at crucial stages of a Bill to a situation where Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs would still be able to vote at the final stage of legislation.
The issue will now go out to public consultation with the Tories announcing their preferred option in the New Year.
Last night, a Comres poll found 53 per cent of Britons supported the proposed ban on Scottish MPs voting on England only issues while 23 per cent were opposed.
During his Commons statement, Mr Hague insisted as more powers were devolved to Scotland, it was a "fundamental issue of fairness" to deal with what some Conservatives believed was the "democratic deficit" south of the border.
Sir Bill Cash, the right-wing Tory Eurosceptic, proposed EVEL should be dealt with "in the near future" not by a full-blown constitutional Bill but by changing standing orders or parliamentary rules to avoid interference by the courts.
Mr Hague said there was "a very strong case" for EVEL to be dealt with in this way, noting: "When we are ready to advance a single option, I hope it will be possible to debate it in this House; indeed, I hope we will be able to vote on it in this House with due regard to his point."
The Commons Leader agreed wholeheartedly with Welsh Conservative backbencher, David Davies, who insisted a plan to deal with EVEL needed to be brought forward "as quickly as possible before the General Election to give the English the voice they deserve".
But Mr Hague later conceded there was little chance of cross-party agreement and the issue would have to be settled by voters at the General Election.
Responding for the Opposition, shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan called for devolution to cities and regions, and a reformed House of Lords, while warning against allowing the union to be divided "by the back door".
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