THE SNP has urged the UK Government to come clean on whether or not the great Home Counties airport expansion row will be deemed an “England-only” issue at Westminster and thus prevent Scottish MPs from voting on a key section of legislation.

The issue was raised as the Nationalists were teased about displaying “faux outrage” at the UK Government’s plans to devolve more powers to Holyrood and over English Votes for English Laws(Evel).

At Transport Questions in the Commons, Drew Hendry, the SNP’s spokesman, asked if the important issue of whether to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport or a second one at Gatwick would be “delivered from Evel”.

Robert Goodwill, the Transport Minister, declined to be drawn, saying: “I am always in favour of jumping one’s fences when one reaches them.”

Later, Mr Hendry, the Inverness MP, called for clarity.

“Given the public money, the economic and social importance and essential connectivity from this decision, it is clearly very worrying it is still an unresolved situation,” he declared, adding that he would seek clarification from the Government on “whether or not Scottish MPs will be locked out and excluded thanks to the constitutional dog’s breakfast that is Evel”.

The Government policy seeks to create a “sensible balance” in light of more powers being transferred to Holyrood so that, on England-only legislation, nothing is approved without the consent of most English MPs.

On such legislation, only English MPs will be able to vote at the key scrutiny stage in committee; although all UK MPs will be able to take part.

However, the Government is keen to point out that while England-only legislation must have the backing of a majority of English MPs, it can ultimately, in the final Commons vote, be vetoed by Scottish ones.

The official Government line is that it will be up to the Speaker to determine what is or is not England-only legislation. It is thought that airport expansion, because it includes planning consent, will, in part at least, fall under Evel.

Meantime, after the SNP’s Pete Wishart expressed disappointment that the final stage of the Scotland Bill would only involve one more day’s debate - November 9 - Commons Leader Chris Grayling described his Nationalist shadow as a "great showbiz performer", who brings a "little bit of faux outrage, a little bit of theatre" to the Commons, particularly on the Scotland Bill and Evel.