18 January 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Grant The English People A Referendum On Whether They Wish To Have An English Parliament."
Read the Government’s response
There are no plans to establish a separate parliament for England. The four components of the United Kingdom have their own histories and distinct national identities, as well as different administrative structures, size and population.
As a result, the Government believes that different approaches and solutions are appropriate to address the differences that exist between the components that comprise the United Kingdom. The starting point for England is not the same as it was in Scotland and Wales.
The Government believes that the establishment of an English Parliament would not be of real benefit to the people of England. As the population of England accounts for 84 per cent of the UK population, this would mean that an English Parliament would only be slightly smaller than the current UK Parliament.
Such a move would not, therefore, contribute significantly towards bringing people in England closer to the decision making process, which is one of the cornerstones of devolution. The Government therefore has no plans at present to provide for an English Parliament.
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