By Venkata Vemuri, IANS,
London : The Times calls him the “Prime Minister’s Office Wife”, but Nick Clegg took no offence as Prime Minister David Cameron outlined his deputy’s duties for the first time in parliament.
Clegg will oversee the introduction of fixed-term parliaments and bring in legislation for a referendum on changing the voting system, according to a written statement of the prime minister.
Responsibilities from the ministry of justice transferred to Clegg are legislating to create fewer and uniform-sized constituencies, encouraging disabled people to contest the general elections and introducing a power for voters to recall their MP.
Cameron said Clegg will develop plans for an elected Upper House in parliament. This is part of the ruling coalition promise to get a vote on House of Lords reform in December.
The deputy prime minister will also have policy responsibility for the Electoral Commission, Boundary Commission and Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which is setting up the new expenses regime for MPs and peers.
Clegg thanked his boss for clarifying his duties.
He described the coalition agreement as a “document of immense ambition” which, he said, the public would see as a genuinely radical approach to the environment, political reform, education and rebuilding the economy after the recession.
“I think, over time, people will see a pattern of a government that is actually strengthened by having these different philosophies and identities within it.”
On his relationship with Cameron, Clegg remarked: “We speak every day, if not several times a day. It’s a very strong working partnership.”