Tories mull English MPs' committee

Tories are considering a radical plan to strip Scottish MPs of the right to vote on English matters at Westminster.

According to a newspaper, the scheme is designed to address the perceived growing constitutional imbalance that has grown up since devolution to Scotland and Wales.

The paper claims it would form the key recommendation of Mr Cameron's democracy taskforce which is due to report in the coming months.

Under the plan, a new English Grand Committee - open only to English MPs - would be established to deal with matters, such as schools and hospitals, relating solely to England.

MPs from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would continue to sit together in the Commons to vote on UK wide matters such as taxation, foreign policy and defence.

A Conservative Party spokesman confirmed that the plan was being considered, but said that no decision had yet been taken on whether it would be adopted as party policy.

The spokesman said: "Ken Clarke's democracy taskforce is looking at the issue and will report back on it, but nothing has been decided yet."

The plan is the brainchild of ex-Scottish Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind who drew up a paper as a response to why, under devolution, Scottish MPs can vote on matters relating to England, but English MPs cannot vote on issues relating solely to Scotland.

The disclosure of the plan comes amid signs that English MPs from all parties are becoming increasingly restive at the way Scots are enjoying more and more benefits denied to their constituents.

At its party conference in Aviemore this weekend, the Scottish National Party - which now holds power in the Holyrood parliament - confirmed plans to abolish prescription charges.

The announcement came after the previous Labour-led administration had already introduced free personal care for the elderly and scrapped university tuition fees.

It led Tory MP Graham Brady to directly challenge Gordon Brown in the Commons on Wednesday as to why his English constituents had to pay more tax so that the Prime Minister's Scottish constituents could get free prescriptions.

Under Sir Malcolm's proposals, it would be up to the Speaker to decide which matters should be referred to the English Grand Committee, which would sit in the Commons chamber.

Welsh MPs would be able to sit on the committee for a transitional period as the Welsh Assembly has only secondary legislative powers.

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