Clause 1 - Piloting conduct at European and local elections
European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Bill
10:18 am
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
I shall give way in a moment.
I do not blame Ministers at the Department for Constitutional Affairs alone, but they have to answer for what the Government have done in the past and propose doing again. Amendment No. 18 would take further the precautions that we seek to introduce—that the matter should be debated on the Floor of both Houses before the pilot proposals are pushed through; and, before that, that the local authorities affected should have had the opportunity to debate the matter, and that the local authorities and the Electoral Commission should report to Parliament.
Before I give way to the hon. Gentleman, I remember what he said repeatedly on Second Reading. I commented then that he had managed to mention his constituency more often in one speech than any other hon. Member I have ever heard. Either in his intervention or in future contributions, I know that he will say that the local authority in his constituency of Chorley is violently in favour of the Government's proposals. However, all local authorities should be consulted, and some may not share the views that he has passed on from Chorley. It is therefore crucial to build in our suggested safeguards.