Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

288

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

(c)	in the case of the Isles of Scilly voting area, means the Council of the

Isles of Scilly;

(d)	in the case of a voting area in Wales, means the council of a county or

county borough;

(e)	in the case of a voting area in Scotland, means the council of a local

government area.’.

Caroline Lucas

Mr Douglas Carswell

Mr Roger Godsiff

Fiona Mactaggart

Liz Kendall

Stella Creasy

Austin Mitchell

14

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  30,  leave out ‘in favour of each answer to the question’

and insert ‘in answer to the questions’.

Alun Michael

328

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  35,  leave out ‘may’ and insert ‘must’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

168

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  37,  at end insert—

‘( )	directions requiring them to take specified steps in preparation for the

referendum;’.

Alun Michael

329

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  37,  at end insert—

‘(aa)

directions about the discharge of their functions specifically in relation to

voters with disabilities;’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

169

Schedule  1,  page  15,  line  42,  at end insert—

‘( )	directions requiring them to take specified steps in preparation for the

referendum;’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

263

Schedule  1,  page  16,  line  6,  at end insert—

‘( )	The number of ballot papers or votes purportedly certified under this paragraph

or section 128 of the 2000 Act is not liable to be questioned by reason of a

defect in the title, or a lack of title, of any person purporting to exercise

functions in relation to the referendum, if the person was then in actual

possession of, or acting in, the office giving the right to exercise the

functions.’.

Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

289

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

Mr Jack Straw

Mr Peter Hain

136

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  5,  at end insert ‘subject to the agreement of the Speaker’s

Committee on the Electoral Commission.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

264

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  5,  at end insert—

‘( )	The Electoral Commission may take whatever steps they think appropriate to

provide, for persons entitled to vote in the referendum, information about each

of the two voting systems referred to in the referendum question.’.

Mr Bernard Jenkin

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Mr Christopher Chope

Mr John Whittingdale

Sir Stuart Bell

Mr Edward Leigh

247

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  5,  at end insert—

‘7A(1)

The Electoral Commission shall not issue any explanatory document to

persons entitled to vote in the referendum during the relevant period unless the

wording, content and design of such document has been agreed by both

organisations designated for the purposes of section 108 of the 2000 Act

(designation of organisations to whom assistance is available), where such

designations have occurred.

(2)	In sub-paragraph (1) the “relevant period” is the relevant period for the

referendum as defined in section 125 of the 2000 Act (restriction on

publication etc. of promotional period by central governement etc.).’.

Alun Michael

330

Schedule  1,  page  17,  line  5,  at end insert—

‘Disabled voters

7A  (3)

The Electoral Commission must take steps to ensure that disabled voters are

able to access information and support to facilitate understanding and

participation in voting and elections.

(4)	The Electoral Commission must issue guidance in relation to ensuring voters

with disabilities have equality of access to the places and process of voting.’.

Caroline Lucas

Mr Douglas Carswell

Mr Roger Godsiff

Fiona Mactaggart

Liz Kendall

Stella Creasy

Austin Mitchell

15

Schedule  1,  page  19,  line  24,  leave out ‘question’ and insert ‘questions’.

Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

290

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

The Deputy Prime Minister

265

Schedule  1,  page  20,  line  38,  at beginning insert ‘Subject to sub-paragraphs (1B)

and (2),’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

266

Schedule  1,  page  20,  line  47,  at end insert—

‘(1A)

Sub-paragraph (1B) applies to a service rendered by—

(a)	the counting officer for a voting area in England, Wales or Scotland, or

(b)	a Regional Counting Officer,

which in the opinion of the Electoral Commission was inadequately

performed.

(1B)	In respect of a service to which this sub-paragraph applies, the officer is

entitled under sub-paragraph (1) to no more than the amount (which may be

nil) that seems reasonable in all the circumstances—

(a)	to the Commission, or

(b)	on a taxation under paragraph 19, to the county court or Auditor.’.

Mr Graham Brady

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Mr Bernard Jenkin

Mr Charles Walker

59

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  9,  after ‘constituency’, insert ‘with the exception of citizens

of Commonwealth countries or, subject to sub-paragraph (c) below, of the Republic of

Ireland.’.

Natascha Engel

332

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  19,  at end insert ‘, and

(c)	the persons who, on that date, are aged 16 or 17 and would, but for their

age, be eligible for registration as electors at a parliamentary election in

any constituency.’.

Mr Graham Brady

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Mr Bernard Jenkin

Mr Charles Walker

60

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  19,  at end insert—

‘; and

(c)	citizens of the Republic of Ireland who are ordinarily resident in Northern

Ireland and who have chosen Irish citizenship under the terms of the

Good Friday Agreement.’.

Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

291

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

Mr Graham Brady

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Mr Bernard Jenkin

Mr Charles Walker

61

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  19,  at end insert—

‘; and

(d)	British citizens living outside the United Kingdom and not currently

entitled to vote as electors at a parliamentary election in any

constituency.

(1A)	The Minister shall, within one month of the day on which this Act is passed, by

Order provide for a system of prior registration of those entitled to vote in the

referendum under subsection (1)(d) above, and for mechanisms by which their

votes can be cast.’.

Andrew Rosindell

156

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  19,  at end insert ‘; and

(c)	British subjects of Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies who

have individually expressed a wish to participate in United Kingdom

Parliamentary elections.’.

Andrew Rosindell

157

Clause  2,  page  2,  line  19,  at end insert—

‘(1A)

The Minister must, within one month of the day on which this Act is passed, by

Order made by statutory instrument provide for a system of prior registration of

those entitled to vote in the referendum under subsection (1)(d) above, and for

mechanisms by which their votes can be cast.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

267

Schedule  2,  page  26,  line  5,  leave out ‘16th’ and insert ‘15th’.

Alun Michael

331

Schedule  2,  page  26,  line  31,  at end insert—

‘3A	Any notices must—

(a)	be published in a minimum 12 point font size, and

(b)	include a prominent message in minimum 16 point font highlighting

the availablility of accessible formats.’.

Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

292

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

Caroline Lucas

Mr Douglas Carswell

Mr Roger Godsiff

Fiona Mactaggart

Liz Kendall

Stella Creasy

Austin Mitchell

16

Schedule  2,  page  26,  line  39,  leave out ‘question’ and insert ‘questions’.

Caroline Lucas

Mr Douglas Carswell

Mr Roger Godsiff

Fiona Mactaggart

Liz Kendall

Stella Creasy

Austin Mitchell

17

Schedule  2,  page  27,  line  17,  leave out ‘answer’ and insert ‘answers’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

170

Schedule  2,  page  27,  line  33,  leave out ‘education’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

268

Schedule  2,  page  28,  line  2,  at end insert—

‘Modification of forms

9A  (1)

The Chief Counting Officer may, for the purpose of making a relevant form

easier for voters to understand or use, specify modifications that are to be made

to the wording or appearance of the form.

(2)	In paragraph (1) “relevant form” means any of the following—

(a)	Forms 3 to 11, 14 and 16 in Part 2 of this Schedule;

(b)	the form of the notice set out in rule 16(7).

(3)	In this Part of this Act a reference to a form is to be read as a reference to that

form with any modifications specified under paragraph (1).

(4)	Where a form is modified by virtue of paragraph (1), section 26(2) of the

Welsh Language Act 1993 applies as if the modified form were specified by

this Act.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

269

Schedule  2,  page  28,  line  8,  leave out ‘16th’ and insert ‘15th’.

Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

293

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

The Deputy Prime Minister

270

Schedule  2,  page  29,  line  6,  leave out paragraphs (3) and (4) and insert—

‘(3)	In England, the polling station allotted to electors from any parliamentary

polling district wholly or partly within a particular voting area must, in the

absence of special circumstances, be in the parliamentary polling place for that

district unless the parliamentary polling place is outside the voting area.

(3A)	In Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the polling station allotted to electors

from any polling district must be in the polling place for that district.

(4)	The polling districts and polling places that apply for the purposes of paragraph

(3A) are—

(a)	in Wales, those that would apply by virtue of provision made under

section 13(1)(a) of the Government of Wales 2006 in respect of an

election for membership of the National Assembly for Wales held on

the day of the referendum;

(b)	in Scotland, those that would apply by virtue of provision made under

section 12(1)(a) of the Scotland Act 1998 in respect of an election for

membership of the Scottish Parliament held on the day of the

referendum;

(c)	in Northern Ireland, those for the time being established under the law

relating to local elections with the meaning of section 130 of the

Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

271

Schedule  2,  page  29,  line  41,  at end insert—

‘This paragraph is subject to paragraphs (1A) and (2).

(1A)	An official poll card must not be sent to a person—

(a)	as an elector, if the person is entitled to a postal vote in Northern

Ireland;

(b)	as a proxy, if the person is entitled to a proxy postal vote in Northern

Ireland.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

272

Schedule  2,  page  30,  line  23,  leave out sub-paragraph (b).

The Deputy Prime Minister

273

Schedule  2,  page  30,  line  27,  leave out sub-paragraph (d).

Caroline Lucas

Mr Douglas Carswell

Mr Roger Godsiff

Fiona Mactaggart

Liz Kendall

Stella Creasy

Austin Mitchell

18

Schedule  2,  page  32,  line  16,  after ‘only’, insert ‘in relation to each question’.

Committee of the whole House: 12 October 2010

294

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

The Deputy Prime Minister

171

Schedule  2,  page  35,  line  3,  leave out paragraph (4).

The Deputy Prime Minister

274

Schedule  2,  page  35,  line  31,  after ‘referendum’ insert ‘on the voting system for

United Kingdom parliamentary elections’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

275

Schedule  2,  page  36,  line  5,  after ‘referendum’ insert ‘on the voting system for

United Kingdom parliamentary elections’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

276

Schedule  2,  page  36,  line  9,  after ‘referendum’ insert ‘on the voting system for

United Kingdom parliamentary elections’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

277

Schedule  2,  page  36,  line  22,  after ‘referendum’ insert ‘on the voting system for

United Kingdom parliamentary elections’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

278

Schedule  2,  page  36,  line  35,  after ‘referendum’ insert ‘on the voting system for

United Kingdom parliamentary elections’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

172

Schedule  2,  page  46,  line  44,  leave out ‘election’ and insert ‘referendum’.

Caroline Lucas

Mr Douglas Carswell

Liz Kendall

Stella Creasy

Sir Peter Soulsby

Stephen Twigg

Austin Mitchell

19

Schedule  2,  page  47,  line  22,  leave out ‘to the referendum question’ and insert

‘either or both of the referendum questions’.

Mr Roger Godsiff

Fiona Mactaggart

88

Schedule  2,  page  47,  line  22,  leave out ‘the referendum question’ and insert ‘either

or both of the referendum questions’.

---

Revised 12 October 2010