OK, I'm an anorak

I have already commented upon the Tories' plan to resolve the West Lothian Question. I took the view that confining membership of the committees considering English bills to non-Scottish MPs was unlikely to make much difference in practice.

In order to ensure that I was not talking rubbish, I have checked the committee membership of those 'English' bills going through the Commons during the current parliamentary session, although the exclusively English nature of some of these might be questioned. Anyway, the committees considering the following bills had no Scottish MPs as members:

Children and Young Persons Bill
Education and Skills Bill
Health and Social Care Bill
Housing and Regeneration Bill
Local Transport Bill
Special Educational Needs Bill

The Crossrail Bill had two Scottish MPs - Tom Harris (as Minister) and Gordon Banks. The Planning Bill had on Scottish MP - Jim Sheridan. And the committee on the Sale of Student Loans Bill was chaired by Ann Begg ( which means that she is not usually allowed to vote).

In the circumstances, it would seem difficult to argue that Scottish MPs have a significant influence on the committee stage of English bills. Their formal exclusion, as proposed by the Tories, would be unlikely to have a significant effect.