Memorandum submitted by Paul Catcheside
JP
l wish to inform you that l object very strongly
to the present democratic deficit in England which is a consequence
of the absence of a national assembly democratic forum representing
solely the people of England.
The inequitable position of respectively England
and Scotland has a present annoying consequences through the continuing
"West Lothian Question" where Scottish MPs can vote
upon matters pertaining only to England. This has been passed
off in correspondence replying to my letter by both my MP, and
government ministers, as being inconsequential as Scotland is
affected by the actions of England, so there is a need for the
UK Parliament as a whole to vote upon English matters. However
it is seen as essential that Scotland has its own national Parliament,
despite the fact that Scottish matters also impinge upon the Union—and
present applications of the Barnett formula are becoming increasingly
seen as unfair and unjust by English people. (As a matter of information
I have several times asked what services/activities the Scottish
Parliament has curtailed or given up in order to free up the funds
to make the advantageous settlements on education, health, public
salaries. No-one has yet given me the courtesy of even attempting
to quantify this).
What seems to me to be potentially disastrous
for England is the possibility of Scotland voting to secede from
the Union. In such a case who would represent the interests of
England—it certainly could not be left to MPs who have as
their remit commitment to the welfare of Scotland. Of course the
dissolution of the United Kingdom would be a disaster which we
all hope will never occur, but it seems to me that at present
the sticking plaster holding the Union together is being provided
in the main by English citizens, and this is not a just basis.
December 2007
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