Edinburgh: More power

A Commons committee has expressed its "concern" over the government's failure to tackle the 'West Lothian question'.

Ministers have given their backing to current arrangements which allow Scottish MPs to vote on laws affecting England, while English MPs cannot vote on issues that have been devolved to Edinburgh.

But a report from the Scottish affairs committee warned that a failure to act could "undermine the whole devolution settlement".

"It is a matter of concern to us that there are signs that English discontent with the current situation is becoming apparent," said the MPs.

"In order to address the West Lothian Question, there are usually four solutions proffered: the dissolution of the United Kingdom; English devolution; fewer Scottish MPs; or English votes on English laws.

"Although we make no recommendations on how to resolve this question, we considered it worth noting our concerns, with the hope that the matter will be comprehensively debated, and resolved, before the situation is reached whereby it could actually undermine the whole devolution settlement."