Clause 5 - Section 4: supplementary
European Parliament (Representation) Bill
4:00 pm
Ms Yvette Cooper (Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department; Pontefract and Castleford, Labour)
In discussing the amendments, we have debated extensively many of the issues raised by the clause. It provides that the relevant order must be a statutory instrument and be debated and approved by both Houses of Parliament. It also provides a mechanism for altering the draft order should either House fail to approve it, so that an alternative redistribution of MEPs can be arranged. No amendment to the draft order could be made without consultation with the Electoral Commission and, in the
case of amendments dealing with the redistribution of MEPs, without their consent.