Friday 18 January 2008

GOOD QUESTION NON-COMMITAL ANSWER

I receive an email from Theyworkforyou.com every time my MP asks a question or speaks in the house. This one amused me today.

QUESTION

David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells, Conservative) Hansard source
On Members' pay, does the Leader of the House agree that if the proposed Lisbon treaty is ratified more powers would be transferred away from this House, and it would therefore be right for our pay to be reduced? Will she ask the Senior Salaries Review Body to recalculate its proposals in view of that reduction of powers? It would obviously be wrong for us to be paid more when our control over legislation and policy is reduced. The same thing should apply to ministerial salaries, particularly those of the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister.

ANSWER

Harriet Harman (Lord Privy Seal, House of Commons) Hansard source
The right hon. Gentleman will have a chance to raise those points in debate either on Monday, on Second Reading of the European Union (Amendment) Bill, or on Thursday, when we debate the SSRB's recommendations, or he can again synthesise the two points on Monday or Thursday.

4 comments:

Simon Fawthrop said...

Great question.

As a courtesy I'm letting you know I've copied this to my own blog, with acknowledgments, because I like it so much.

AloneMan said...

It's a great idea. Take it to its logical conclusion and we could pay Scottish MPs less than the English ones, on the basis that they ought to be voting on fewer things.

Any in terms of the answer, readers of my own blog will know that I've got a bit of a soft spot for "The Divine Harriet" as I call her. But "synthesise" ? I'm sure that's an incorrect use of the word...

Old BE said...

I thought that wasn't a ridiculous answer by Harman either, considering some of the guff ministers say.

Good question though and one which many people have been thinking!

I also use theyworkforyou.com and it's very enlightening.

Mrs Smallprint said...

Verb 1. synthesise - combine so as to form a more complex, product.

The use of synthesise seems okay, I look forward to seeing if he raises the point again in the forthcoming debates. After all around 70% of our legislation now comes from the EU.