Clause 3 - Pilot schemes under the 2000 Act
European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Bill
11:15 am
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley, Labour)
I am glad that the hon. Member for Surrey Heath is so pleased to echo
the voice of Chorley that he ensures that Chorley is mentioned in Committee. He will be aware that his old seat of Blackpool was also a pilot area, so Chorley was not the only seat in the north-west to be a pilot area. The seats in the north-west were the ones that successfully ran a pilot scheme in postal voting. I do not know if the hon. Gentleman is aware of this but, when chief executives of all local authorities in the north-west met, only three objected to running a pilot scheme. All the others want to run one. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will welcome the north-west being chosen.