Clause 11 — Number and distribution of seats
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
6:30 pm
Andrew George (St Ives, Liberal Democrat)
I will not give way, because we have only 11 minutes left and I want to finish to allow other Members to speak. We had the option of extending to other constituencies the exceptional geographical status that is applied to Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney and Shetland and the other places that have been mentioned. All the amendment would do is give the Boundary Commission reasonable latitude and discretion to accept the arguments for exceptional status that will inevitably arise. Otherwise, the Government's intransigence will leave a legacy that I believe the House will regret.