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Session 1997-98 Internet Publications Other Bills before Parliament |
| Representation of Dependencies at Westminster Bill
This is the text of the Representation of Dependencies at Westminster Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 1 July 1997. | |
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| Representation of Dependencies at Westminster Bill | |
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B I L L
TO Provide for limited representation of dependencies other than Gibraltar at the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by a non-voting delegate and for the right of the Chief Ministers to petition the House of Commons at the bar of the House; to improve for elected members of the Legislative Councils access to and communications with Members of the House of Commons; and for related 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:- | |
| Election of Parliamentary Delegates for dependent territories. | 1. - (1) On the same day as a parliamentary election is held in the United Kingdom, registered electors in a dependent territory other than Gibraltar may vote in an election for a delegate to the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who shall be known as the Parliamentary Delegate for that territory. |
| (2) Any vacancy for the position of Parliamentary Delegate for a dependent territory occurring between general elections shall be filled in the same manner as a vacancy occurring in a parliamentary constituency in England or Wales. | |
| Entitlement of the Parliamentary Delegates for dependent territories to take part in proceedings of the House. | 2. Any Parliamentary Delegate for a dependent territory shall be entitled to take part only in those proceedings of the House which the Speaker certifies as- |
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| but shall not be entitled to vote on any matter. | |
| Relations between legislative councils and the House of Commons. | 3. - (1) Within six months of the first day of meeting of a Parliament following a parliamentary election in the United Kingdom the Secretary of State shall lay before the House of Commons draft regulations setting out proposed bilateral arrangements for the exchange of information and facilitation of dialogue between Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom and members of the parliaments or legislative councils of the dependent territories. |
| (2) Draft regulations made under subsection (1) shall be subject to approval by affirmative resolution of the House of Commons and once approved shall remain in force for the remainder of that Parliament unless amended or superseded by further regulations. | |
| (3) The Secretary of State shall consult the parliament or legislative council of each dependent territory before including it within the provisions of draft regulations made under subsection (1). | |
| Right of the Chief Ministers of dependent territories to petition the House of Commons. | 4. - (1) The Chief Minister of a dependent territory shall have the right on application to the Speaker to petition at the bar of the House of Commons. |
| (2) The parliament or legislative council of a dependent territory may resolve that the right under subsection (1) may be exercised by a person appointed by them for that purpose. | |
| Interpretation. | 5. In this Act "dependent territory" means a British Dependent Territory other than Gibraltar listed in Schedule 6 to the Nationality and Immigration Act 1981 as amended. |
| Short title. | 6. This Act may be cited as the Representation of Dependencies at Westminster Act 1998. |
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| © Parliamentary copyright 1997 | Prepared 2 December 1997 |