Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Bill (HC Bill 71)
A
BILL
TO
Amend the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to make provision about the number and
size of parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom; and for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1 Number of constituencies
(NONE)
For paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986
(rules for distribution of seats), substitute—
“1 Number of constituencies
(1)
5The number of constituencies in Great Britain (England, Wales and
Scotland) shall be 632.
(2) The number of constituencies in Northern Ireland shall be 18.”
2 Electorate per constituency
(1)
Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (rules for distribution
10of seats) is amended as follows.
(2) For paragraph 2 substitute—
“2 Electorate per constituency
(1) The electorate of any constituency in Great Britain shall be—
(a) no less than 92.5% of the Great Britain electoral quota, and
(b) 15no more than 107.5% of that quota.
(2) This rule is subject to rules 4(2) and 6(3).
Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) BillPage 2
(3) In this Schedule the “Great Britain electoral quota” means—
where
G is the electorate of Great Britain minus the electorate of the
5constituencies mentioned in rule 6.
(4) The electorate of any constituency in Northern Ireland shall be—
(a)
no less than 92.5% of the Northern Ireland electoral quota,
and
(b) no more than 107.5% of that quota.
(5) 10In this Schedule the “Northern Ireland electoral quota” means—
where
N is the electorate of Northern Ireland.”
(3) After paragraph 5(3) insert—
“(4)
15For the purpose of calculating the electorate of the United Kingdom
the calculation shall—
(a)
for the purpose of a Boundary Commission report submitted
before 1st October 2022, be based on registers of
parliamentary electors published for the 2019 general
20election, and
(b)
for the purpose of subsequent Boundary Commission
reports, be based on registers of parliamentary electors
published for the most recent general election.”
(4) Omit paragraph 7.
3 25Consequential amendments
(1)
Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (rules for distribution
of seats) is amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph 3(2) for “the United Kingdom” substitute “Great Britain”.
(3) In paragraph 8(2) for “the United Kingdom” substitute “Great Britain”.
(4) 30In paragraph 8(3) for “the United Kingdom” substitute “Great Britain”.
(5) In paragraph 8(4) for “the United Kingdom” substitute “Great Britain”.
(6) For paragraph 9(6) substitute—
“(6)
“Great Britain electoral quota” and “Northern Ireland electoral
quota” have the meaning given by rule 2.”
Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) BillPage 3
4 Boundary Commissions: reports etc
(1)
Section 3 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (reports of the
commissions) is amended as follows.
(2) For subsection (2) substitute—
“(2)
5A Boundary Commission shall submit reports under subsection (1)
above periodically—
(a) before 1st October 2022, and
(b) before 1st October of every tenth year after that.”
5 Financial provisions
(NONE) 10There is to be paid out of money provided by Parliament—
(a) any expenditure incurred under or by virtue of this Act, and
(b)
any increase attributable to this Act in the sums payable under any other Act
out of money so provided.
6 Extent, commencement and short title
(1) 15This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
(2)
The provisions of this Act come into force on the day on which this Act is
passed.
(3)
This Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Constituencies (Amendment) Act
2020.