Greater London Authority (Referendum) Bill

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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Arrangement of Clauses (Contents)

Greater London Authority (Referendum) Bill

EXPLANATORY AND FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM

The main purpose of the Bill is to make provision for a referendum of London residents to be held on the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority.

The Bill also includes provisions to prepare the way for the Greater London Authority. It confers additional functions on the Local Government Commission for England to enable it to make recommendations on the electoral areas of the assembly of the Greater London Authority at the direction of the Secretary of State.

PART I

THE REFERENDUM

Clause 1 makes provision for a referendum on the establishment of a Greater London Authority to be held on 7th May 1998, or on such later date as may be prescribed by an Order in Council. It stipulates that the question to be asked and the front of the ballot papers shall be in the form set out in the Schedule.

Clause 2 defines the classes of person entitled to vote in the referendum as being those entitled to vote at a local government election in any London borough and residents entitled to vote at a ward election in the City of London. By virtue of subsection (2), an Order in Council under clause 4 can provide for alterations to a register of electors made after a specified date to be disregarded for the purposes of determining who is entitled to vote in the referendum.

Clause 3 provides for the appointment and functions of a Chief Counting Officer for Greater London and of counting officers for each London borough and the City of London.

Clause 4 provides for the combination of polls where the referendum is to be held on the same day as local government elections. It also enables provision to be made by Order in Council relating to the conduct of the referendum and, where polls are combined, the combining of polls. By virtue of subsection (4), London borough councils and the Common Council of the City of London must place the services of their officers at the disposal of the counting officer and returning officer for their area

Clause 5 enables the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Treasury, to pay grants to London boroughs and to the Common Council of the City of London in respect of expenditure they incur in connection with the referendum.

Clause 6 makes provision for the exclusion of legal proceedings questioning the results of the referendum as certified by the Chief Counting Officer or a counting officer.

PART II

ADVICE ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR GREATER LONDON

Clause 7 confers new functions on the Local Government Commission for England requiring it, at the direction of the Secretary of State, to prepare a report recommending-

(a) the electoral areas into which Greater London should be divided for the purpose of electing the members of any assembly established following the referendum,

(b) the number of members that should be elected for each electoral area, and

(c) the name by which each electoral area should be known.

The Secretary of State's direction to the Commission must specify the total number of electoral areas and the total number of members for which the recommendations are to provide.

Clause 8 requires the Secretary of State to set a timetable for the report, covering its preparation, its submission and when and for how long it is to be made available for inspection. The clause requires the Commission to ensure that interested parties are consulted and requires it to take their representations into account when preparing a draft report. Interested parties are then to be consulted on the draft report and again the Commission must take their representations into account before submitting its final report to the Secretary of StateCopies of the draft and final reports will be deposited for inspection at the principal office of each London borough council and the Common Council of the City of London.

Clause 9 enables the Secretary of State, where a report has been submitted under clause 8, to direct the Commission to review its recommendations and submit a further report making revised recommendations.

Clause 10 enables the Secretary of State to give the Commission directions as to the exercise of its functions under Part II of the Bill.

Clause 11 provides that the Secretary of State may pay to the Commission such amount as he may determine to be the amount required by the Commission for carrying out its functions under Part II of the Bill.

PART III

GENERAL

Clause 12 provides that there shall be paid directly out of the Consolidated Fund any fees, charges or expenditure relating to the Chief Counting Officer, counting officers and returning officers which an Order in Council under clause 4 provides shall be so paid and any grant under clause 5. Any other expenditure of the Secretary of State in connection with the referendum, any expenditure under clause 11 and any expenditure in preparation for a Greater London Authority shall be paid out of money voted by Parliament

Financial effects of the Bill

If the referendum is combined with local government elections on 7th May 1998, the total estimated cost to public funds of the referendum is £3 million. This calculation is based on expenditure on the Scottish and Welsh devolution referendums, the cost of the recent general election, and savings that can be achieved by combining the poll with the local government elections. If the referendum takes place on a date other than 7th May 1998, the cost of the referendum would be around £5 million

The cost of employing the Local Government Commission for England to prepare a report on electoral areas for the assembly of the Greater London Authority is expected to amount to no more than £150,000. The maximum cost of expenditure in preparation for the establishment of the Greater London Authority is estimated to be £20 million.

Effects of the Bill on Public Sector Manpower

The Bill will not require any increase in the number of permanent staff in the public service. The machinery for running local government elections will be used.

© Parliamentary copyright 1997
Prepared 29 October 1997

Greater London Authority (Referendum) Bill

	EXPLANATORY AND FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM
	The main purpose of the Bill is to make provision for a referendum of London residents to be held on the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority.
	The Bill also includes provisions to prepare the way for the Greater London Authority. It confers additional functions on the Local Government Commission for England to enable it to make recommendations on the electoral areas of the assembly of the Greater London Authority at the direction of the Secretary of State.
	PART I
	THE REFERENDUM
	Clause 1 makes provision for a referendum on the establishment of a Greater London Authority to be held on 7th May 1998, or on such later date as may be prescribed by an Order in Council. It stipulates that the question to be asked and the front of the ballot papers shall be in the form set out in the Schedule.
	Clause 2 defines the classes of person entitled to vote in the referendum as being those entitled to vote at a local government election in any London borough and residents entitled to vote at a ward election in the City of London. By virtue of subsection (2), an Order in Council under clause 4 can provide for alterations to a register of electors made after a specified date to be disregarded for the purposes of determining who is entitled to vote in the referendum.
	Clause 3 provides for the appointment and functions of a Chief Counting Officer for Greater London and of counting officers for each London borough and the City of London.
	Clause 4 provides for the combination of polls where the referendum is to be held on the same day as local government elections. It also enables provision to be made by Order in Council relating to the conduct of the referendum and, where polls are combined, the combining of polls. By virtue of subsection (4), London borough councils and the Common Council of the City of London must place the services of their officers at the disposal of the counting officer and returning officer for their area
	Clause 5 enables the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Treasury, to pay grants to London boroughs and to the Common Council of the City of London in respect of expenditure they incur in connection with the referendum.
	Clause 6 makes provision for the exclusion of legal proceedings questioning the results of the referendum as certified by the Chief Counting Officer or a counting officer.
	PART II
	ADVICE ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR GREATER LONDON
	Clause 7 confers new functions on the Local Government Commission for England requiring it, at the direction of the Secretary of State, to prepare a report recommending-
	(a) the electoral areas into which Greater London should be divided for the purpose of electing the members of any assembly established following the referendum,
	(b) the number of members that should be elected for each electoral area, and
	(c) the name by which each electoral area should be known.
	The Secretary of State's direction to the Commission must specify the total number of electoral areas and the total number of members for which the recommendations are to provide.
	Clause 8 requires the Secretary of State to set a timetable for the report, covering its preparation, its submission and when and for how long it is to be made available for inspection. The clause requires the Commission to ensure that interested parties are consulted and requires it to take their representations into account when preparing a draft report. Interested parties are then to be consulted on the draft report and again the Commission must take their representations into account before submitting its final report to the Secretary of StateCopies of the draft and final reports will be deposited for inspection at the principal office of each London borough council and the Common Council of the City of London.
	Clause 9 enables the Secretary of State, where a report has been submitted under clause 8, to direct the Commission to review its recommendations and submit a further report making revised recommendations.
	Clause 10 enables the Secretary of State to give the Commission directions as to the exercise of its functions under Part II of the Bill.
	Clause 11 provides that the Secretary of State may pay to the Commission such amount as he may determine to be the amount required by the Commission for carrying out its functions under Part II of the Bill.
	PART III
	GENERAL
	Clause 12 provides that there shall be paid directly out of the Consolidated Fund any fees, charges or expenditure relating to the Chief Counting Officer, counting officers and returning officers which an Order in Council under clause 4 provides shall be so paid and any grant under clause 5. Any other expenditure of the Secretary of State in connection with the referendum, any expenditure under clause 11 and any expenditure in preparation for a Greater London Authority shall be paid out of money voted by Parliament
	Financial effects of the Bill
	If the referendum is combined with local government elections on 7th May 1998, the total estimated cost to public funds of the referendum is £3 million. This calculation is based on expenditure on the Scottish and Welsh devolution referendums, the cost of the recent general election, and savings that can be achieved by combining the poll with the local government elections. If the referendum takes place on a date other than 7th May 1998, the cost of the referendum would be around £5 million
	The cost of employing the Local Government Commission for England to prepare a report on electoral areas for the assembly of the Greater London Authority is expected to amount to no more than £150,000. The maximum cost of expenditure in preparation for the establishment of the Greater London Authority is estimated to be £20 million.
	Effects of the Bill on Public Sector Manpower
	The Bill will not require any increase in the number of permanent staff in the public service. The machinery for running local government elections will be used.