James Mitchell: 'The proposal for a commission into the West Lothian Question makes sense'

Calman involves extending devolution in modest ways. The key area concerns finance and involves proposals to make Holyrood more fiscally responsible, ensuring a link between taxation and spending levels. However, Calman's conservatism has been criticised and Professors Drew Scott and Andrew Hughes-Hallett argue that Calman's financial proposals are inherently flawed.

Some senior Tories are sympathetic to the Liberal Democrats' bolder view on fiscal autonomy, as contained in the 2006 Steel Commission report, Moving to Federalism – a new settlement for Scotland. Yet, the Coalition Agreement appears to rule this out. The Liberal Democrats have now flunked two opportunities to pursue their federal agenda. In 2007, they could have entered into coalition with the SNP in Holyrood and insisted that the Steel Report form the basis of an option to be put to the Scottish people in a referendum. They have now had the chance at UK level to pursue this agenda.

Paradoxically, being part of the new government may have made it more difficult for the Liberal Democrats to pursue this agenda. Not only have they had to compromise on a wide range of issues, but a formal deal had to be agreed with in a restricted time period.

Agreeing to implement Calman, the lowest common denominator, has a number of advantages for both parties. It is a concrete proposal on which there is existing agreement and Labour will have difficulty opposing it. It also means that both parties will be able to push ahead with implementation before next year's Holyrood elections.

It is possible that a bolder set of proposals will emerge. But for the moment, the new coalition has chosen to be cautious.

The proposal to set up a commission into the West Lothian Question makes sense in that this is a complex problem. Under William Hague's leadership, the Tories adopted a hard line on English Votes for English Laws but the Tories have subsequently watered this down. In July 2008, a Conservative commission proposed that bills certified as "English" should be subject to debate and votes of only English MPs at committee and report stages but the final say on such legislation would be for all MPs. This was a significant change from earlier Tory responses to devolution. However, the election results may encourage Tories to re-open the issue as this might become an urgent matter if the Liberal Democrats withdraw from the coalition.

The West Lothian Question remains controversial but the way forward requires party agreement beyond those involved in the coalition.

James Mitchell is a professor of politics at Strathclyde University