MARK Williams MP has criticised the government’s English Votes for English Laws bill, warning of the potentially “seriously damaging” eff­ects on the rest of the UK.

The plans are intended to address what is known as the West Lothian question, the problem whereby Scottish MPs in Westminster can vote on issues in England, but English MPs cannot vote on devolved matters in Scotland.

The government won the backing of MPs by 312 to 270 votes last Thursday, and Ceredigion MP, Mark Williams has said the move could have negative consequences for Welsh people.

He said: “The Liberal Democrats are opposed to the government’s proposals for English Votes for English Laws as they currently stand.

“We want to see this issue resolved properly, through a federal Britain, rather than by making Welsh and Scottish Members of the House of Commons second-class MPs.

“There is real worry that as funding for the Welsh NHS is linked to that of England, that cuts by the government to the English NHS would have a direct consequence for Wales, yet Welsh MPs would have absolutely no say in the matter.”