PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE RELATING
TO THE REPORT
TUESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2001
Members present:
Mr Nicholas Winterton, in the Chair
| Mr A J Beith | Mr Eric Forth
|
| Sir Paul Beresford |
Mr Nigel Griffiths |
| Mr Keith Darvill | Mr Eric Illsley
|
| Mr Clive Efford | Mr David Lammy
|
| Mrs Lorna Fitzsimons |
Mr Andrew Stunell |
The Committee deliberated.
Draft Report [Election of a Speaker], proposed
by the Chairman, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the
draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 68 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 69 read, as follows:
As we have stated above, we do not believe that
the likely duration of the process should be an all-important
factor in determining the choice of electoral system. We consider
that the benefits brought by the Exhaustive Ballot are sufficiently
great as to outweigh the inconvenience in terms of time brought
by the need to have multiple ballots. We therefore prefer the
Exhaustive Ballot to AV and recommend that it be the system adopted.
In order to reduce the overall time taken, however, we also recommend
that, as in Canada, candidates polling less than 5% of the total
votes cast should be eliminated after the first ballot.
Amendment proposed, in line 2, to leave out
from the word 'system' to the end of the paragraph, and to insert
the words—
"We consider that any benefits of the Exhaustive
Ballot are outweighed by the inconvenience in terms of time required
by the need to have multiple ballots. We therefore prefer the
Alternative Vote system to the Exhaustive Ballot, and recommend
that it be the system adopted.".—(Mr Andrew Stunell.)
Question put, That the Amendment be made.
The Committee divided.
| Ayes, 3 | Noes, 7
|
| Mr A J Beith | Sir Paul Beresford
|
| Mrs Lorna Fitzsimons |
Mr Keith Darvill |
| Mr Andrew Stunell | Mr Clive Efford
|
| Mr Eric Forth |
|
| Mr Nigel Griffiths |
|
| Mr Eric Illsley |
|
| Mr David Lammy |
|
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraphs 70 to 87 agreed to.
Annexes agreed to.
Resolved, That the
Report be the Second Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the
Chairman do make the Report to the House.
Several papers were ordered to be appended to
the Minutes of Evidence.
Ordered, That the
Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee
be reported to the House.
| 
