427

House of Commons

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Committee of the whole House

New Amendments handed in are marked thus

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

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Note

The Amendments have been arranged in accordance with the Programme (No. 2)

Order [12 October].

FALLEN AMENDMENTS

Under the authority of the Chairman of Ways and Means, Amendments Nos. 206 to

217, 221, 222, 12, 218 to 220, 82, 120, 251, 224, 35, 139, 103, and 123, New Clauses NC3

to 5 and 13 to 16 and New Schedule NS1 have been removed from the Amendment paper,

having fallen as a result of proceedings in the Committee. The texts can be found in pages

286-356 of Committee of the whole House paper, dated 12 October 2010.

Sir Stuart Bell

104

Clause  7,  page  5,  line  1,  at end insert—

‘The alternative vote system

37(ZA)

There shall be two elections, to be held on succeeding Sundays, where in the

event no candidate obtains 50 per cent. of the vote in the first election there

shall be a run off in the second election between the first and second choice

candidates in the first election.’.

Mr Christopher Chope

62

Clause  7,  page  5,  leave out lines 9 to 11 and insert ‘but no preference beyond the

second may be indicated.’.

Committee of the whole House: 19 October 2010

428

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

Austin Mitchell

253

Page  4,  line  40,  leave out Clause 7.

The Deputy Prime Minister

198

Schedule  6,  page  147,  line  18,  leave out ‘45A(4) or (5) above in’ and insert ‘45A

above—

(a)

in’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

199

Schedule  6,  page  147,  line  19,  at end insert—

‘(b)	in the case of an election with only two candidates who receive an

equal number of votes.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

200

Schedule  6,  page  147,  line  20,  at beginning insert ‘Where paragraph (1)(a)

applies,’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

201

Schedule  6,  page  147,  line  26,  leave out from ‘Where’ to second ‘the’ and insert

‘paragraph (1)(a) above applies but the tie is not resolved under paragraph (2) above, or

where paragraph (1)(b) above applies,’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

202

Schedule  6,  page  147,  line  28,  leave out ‘remaining’ and insert ‘two’.

Austin Mitchell

254

Page  144,  line  16,  leave out Schedule 6.

Nia Griffith

Kevin Brennan

Nick Smith

Owen Smith

152

Clause  8,  page  6,  line  31,  at end insert—

‘(3)	After subsection (1) there is inserted—

“(1A)

Before commencing work on any report or review the Boundary

Commission for Wales must—

(a)	consult such organisations and individuals as it sees fit to

determine the issues which should influence its decisions, and

Committee of the whole House: 19 October 2010

429

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

(b)	following consultation with the Secretary of State for Wales and

the Welsh Assembly Government, appoint three independent

persons to be known as the Wales Convention on Parliamentary

Representation, “the Convention”.

(1B)	The duties and powers of the Convention shall be established by the

Secretary of State by regulations made by statutory instrument, and must

include—

(a)	inviting representations from organisations and individuals,

(b)	assessing these representations,

(c)	holding meetings and public hearings, and

(d)	publishing reports.

(1C)	A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (1B) is

subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of

Parliament.”.’.

Graham Stringer

37

Clause  8,  page  6,  line  33,  after ‘(2)’, insert ‘Subject to the terms of subsection

(2AA) below’.

Edward Miliband

Sadiq Khan

Chris Bryant

Mr Peter Hain

127

Clause  8,  page  6,  leave out line 35 and insert—

‘(a)	within twelve months of Part 2 of the Parliamentary Voting System and

Constituencies Act 2010 coming into force in accordance with section

16(2) thereof’.

Greg Mulholland

341

Clause  8,  page  6,  line  35,  leave out ‘2013’ and insert ‘2018’.

Greg Mulholland

342

Clause  8,  page  6,  line  36,  leave out ‘fifth’ and insert ‘tenth’.

Graham Stringer

38

Clause  8,  page  6,  line  36,  at end insert—

‘(3A)

After subsection (2) there is inserted—

“(2AA)

The boundary review due to be completed by the date set out in

subsection (2)(a) above shall not begin until both Houses of Parliament

have approved a report from the Electoral Commission certifying that in

its opinion sufficient measures have been taken to provide for the

registration of eligible voters.”.’.

Committee of the whole House: 19 October 2010

430

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

Chris Leslie

Graham Stringer

58

Clause  8,  page  7,  line  17,  at end insert—

‘(5AA)

The Secretary of State must, so far as reasonably practicable, lay before

Parliament the draft of a separate Order in Council relating to each county (in

England or Wales) or area (in Scotland) identified in Schedule 1 to the

Lieutenancies Act 1997.’.

Mr Graham Allen

Sheila Gilmore

Simon Hart

Tristram Hunt

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Sir Peter Soulsby

234

Clause  8,  page  7,  line  17,  at end insert—

‘(5AA)

The draft of an Order in Council laid under subsection (5A) above may only give

effect to the recommendations contained in all four reports under subsection (1)

above with modifications, where those modifications have been made with the

agreement of the Boundary Commissions.’.

The Deputy Prime Minister

162

Clause  8,  page  7,  line  22,  at end insert—

‘( )	In Article 3 of the Lord President of the Council Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1837)

(which makes certain functions of the Secretary of State exercisable concurrently

with the Lord President) the reference in paragraph (1) to the Parliamentary

Constituencies Act 1986 is to be read as a reference to that Act as amended by

this section.’.

Edward Miliband

Sadiq Khan

Chris Bryant

Mr Peter Hain

364

Clause  9,  page  7,  leave out lines 27 and 28 and insert—

‘UK Electoral quota

38	The UK Electoral Quota shall be defined as the total electorate of the United

Kingdom on the designated enumeration day divided by 650.’.

Mr Graham Allen

Graham Stringer

41

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  leave out ‘600’ and insert ‘gradually reduced to 600 in

accordance with the terms of rule 1A.

1A  (1)

In each periodic report submitted by a Boundary Commission under section

3(2), the overall number of constituencies in each part of the United Kingdom

shall be no more than in the previous report.

Committee of the whole House: 19 October 2010

431

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

(2)	The Boundary Commissions shall meet at the outset of each periodic review to

determine the overall number of constituencies in the United Kingdom, and the

number to be allocated to each of the four parts of the United Kingdom by each

Commission, in accordance with rule 8.

(3)	The Boundary Commissions shall ensure that the overall number of

constituencies in the United Kingdom is reduced in each succeeding periodic

report to no more than 600 by 2029 in their fourth/fifth periodic reports.’.

Mr Christopher Chope

67

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  leave out ‘600’ and insert ‘585’.

Andrew George

74

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  leave out ‘600’ and insert ‘500’.

Martin Vickers

227

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  leave out ‘600’ and insert ‘no fewer than 588 and no more

than 612’.

Austin Mitchell

259

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  leave out ‘600’ and insert ‘650’.

Susan Elan Jones

105

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  at end insert ‘with the addition of such number of

additional constituencies in Wales as are required by rule 6A (Wales) above what would

have been the allocation of seats to Wales by the application of rule 8.’.

Susan Elan Jones

111

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  28,  at end insert ‘, plus the number of any additional

constituencies required under rule 8(4A).’.

Mr Jonathan Edwards

Hywel Williams

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

146

Clause  9,  page  7,  leave out lines 29 to 37.

Edward Miliband

Sadiq Khan

Chris Bryant

Mr Peter Hain

365

Clause  9,  page  7,  leave out lines 30 to 37 and insert—

‘2  (1)

No constituency shall have an electorate more than five per cent. above or

below the electoral quota for that part of the United Kingdom unless the

Boundary Commission concerned believes there to be overriding reasons

under the terms of these rules why it should.

Committee of the whole House: 19 October 2010

432

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

(2)	No constituency shall have an electorate more than 10 per cent. above or below

the electoral quota for that part of the United Kingdom.

Mr Charles Kennedy

Mr Alan Reid

John Thurso

343

Clause  9,  page  7,  leave out lines 31 and 32 and insert—

‘(a)	no more than five per cent. above or below the electoral quota for that

part of the United Kingdom unless the Boundary Commission concerned

believes there to be overriding reasons under the terms of these rules why

it should, and

(b)	no more than 15 per cent. above or below the electoral quota for that part

of the United Kingdom.’.

Mr Charles Kennedy

Mr Alan Reid

John Thurso

344

Clause  9,  page  7,  leave out lines 31 and 32 and insert—

‘(a)	no more than five per cent. above or below the electoral quota for that

part of the United Kingdom unless the Boundary Commission concerned

believes there to be exceptional geographic circumstances, and

(b)	no more than 15 per cent. above or below the electoral quota for that part

of the United Kingdom.’.

Mr Graham Allen

Sheila Gilmore

Simon Hart

Tristram Hunt

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Sir Peter Soulsby

235

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  31,  leave out ‘United Kingdom electoral quota’ and insert

‘electoral quota for the part of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland or

Northern Ireland) in which the constituency is located’.

Andrew George

70

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  32,  at end insert—

‘(1A)

This rule is subject to an independent assessment of the Boundary Commission

as to the potential electorate within any area where the Commission, having

consulted—

(a)	the Electoral Commission,

(b)	the Registration Officer of the local authority or authorities in that area,

(c)	such other organisations and individuals whom the Boundary

Commission may choose to consult,

determine that the difference between the registered electorate and the assessed

numbers eligible to be registered is so significant as to give rise to concern about

the number of people to be served within such constituencies as would otherwise

be created by rule 2(1) above.’.

Committee of the whole House: 19 October 2010

433

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill, continued

Mr Andrew Turner

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Mr Graham Allen

Mr Mike Hancock

Dr Julian Lewis

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil

44

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  33,  after ‘6(2)’, insert ‘, 6A(2)’.

Susan Elan Jones

106

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  33,  after ‘6(2)’, insert ‘6A’.

Sheryll Murray

George Eustice

Andrew George

138

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  33,  after ‘6(2)’, insert ‘, 6B(2)’.

Mr Graham Allen

Sheila Gilmore

Simon Hart

Tristram Hunt

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Sir Peter Soulsby

236

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  33,  leave out ‘6(2) and 7’ and insert ‘and 6(2)’.

Susan Elan Jones

112

Clause  9,  page  7,  line  33,  leave out ‘and 7’ and insert ‘, 7 and 8(4B)’.

Mr Graham Allen

Sheila Gilmore

Simon Hart

Tristram Hunt

Mrs Eleanor Laing

Sir Peter Soulsby

237

Clause  9,  page  7,  leave out lines 34 to 37 and insert—

‘(3)	In this rule “electoral quota” means— U C where U is the electorate of the part of the United Kingdom in which the

constituency is located, reduced in the case of Scotland by the electorate of the

constituencies mentioned in rule 6, and C is the number of constituencies

allocated to that part under rule 8.’.

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Revised 19 October 2010