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5 July 2007 : Column 1222

Where, after having undertaken the review, the Boundary Committee recommends that electoral changes are made to the council’s area, Clause 51 ensures that, in making the order that implements the new scheme—the partial-council elections order—the Electoral Commission does not have to include provision for anything that can be provided for in an order made under Section 17 of the Local Government Act 1992.

An order under Section 17, an electoral changes order, can make provision about matters such as the total number of councillors for a council’s area, the number and boundaries of the electoral areas into which that area is divided, the number of councillors to be elected for any electoral area in that principal area and the apportionment of councillors among electoral areas.

The clause clarifies which legislation is to be used when making either a partial-council elections order—for elections by halves or elections by thirds—or an electoral changes order.

We will be using this Bill or the 1992 Act. This technical clause ensures that the right legislation is used, depending on whether an electoral order is made under the Bill or, following the need for boundary changes, it has to be made under the 1992 Act. I hope that I have been able to explain that adequately. If not, I am very happy to attempt to do so on another occasion.

Lord Greaves: I am extremely grateful for that. I will read it very carefully and will have a happy half hour chasing through the legislation.

Clause 51 agreed to.

Baroness Andrews: I beg to move that the House do now resume.

Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.

House resumed.

Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill [HL]

The Bill was returned from the Commons agreed to with amendments. It was ordered that the Commons amendments be printed.


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