Clause 6 - Combination of polls
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
6:30 pm
Mr Christopher Leslie (Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office; Shipley, Labour)
I think that the letter that will be winging its way to the hon. Gentleman on the definition of the word ''consults'' will be of special interest to him, given my understanding that the consultation is a two-way process. That will clarify the matter.
The hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge thinks that under subsection (2) the Government can disapply any provision of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. That is not the case. Subsection (2) is a standard provision, as is, for example, section 129(2) of the 2000 Act. The power is not unfettered: it must be made for the purposes of the preceding subsection. The same applies in the present case. The order mentioned in subsection (2) is that described in subsection (1), with a number of provisions and provisos surrounding it. Subsection (2) is not as unfettered as the hon. Gentleman described.
The clause has been framed to ensure that there is sufficient scope and flexibility to achieve common-sense amalgamation of some of those administrative arrangements that would otherwise get in the way of an efficient and smooth-running combined poll. The clause makes sense, and I commend it to the Committee.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.