Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill - Clause 8 - Provision of information to voters
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Nick Raynsford (Minister of State (Local and Regional Government), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Greenwich and Woolwich, Labour)
It is always likely that a situation will arise in which there are cross-currents. Several media with very strong views one way and another will campaign stridently in favour of their interpretation of what is right, in the form of a yes or a no vote. Different media will push particular causes in different regions. That is the written media. The broadcast media, as the hon. Gentleman is aware, are required to be impartial, and will be bound by their obligations to ensure an appropriate degree of impartiality. The Electoral Commission can form a judgment as to how it can make best use of the broadcast, as well as other, media to get the message across.
In a previous sitting, the hon. Member for South-West Devon (Mr. Streeter) asked about the wording of subsection (3). I see no great problem or mystery about that. The key concept is the appropriate day. That is because the provision comes into force only if, by the appropriate day, a yes and no designation will not take place, either because the Electoral Commission has not, by the 29th day, received an application from a yes or a no campaign—or both—or, if by the 43rd day, it has not yet designated a yes and a no campaign. The appropriate day will be one of those two, because in either circumstance there could not be a designated yes and no campaign. From that point, the provisions of clause 8 apply and the Electoral Commission will start to take steps.
That is why the appropriate days are mentioned. In each case, they are the day following the defined period of time for those stages. The submissions by groups seeking designation must be in by the 28th day, unless the Secretary of State has changed that for reasons that we discussed earlier, and the Electoral Commission must reach a decision by the 42nd day. So in each case, the appropriate day is the day after that particular stage has been reached, and if there is not an appropriate designation of a yes and no campaign by that date, the provisions apply. I hope that that explains the wording.
This is an important provision. I should hope that it will not be used often, because in most cases there will be designated yes and no campaigns, but it is an important safeguard that ensures that, if not, the public can be properly informed. I am sure that they will be, because I have great confidence in the Electoral Commission's ability to do its job and to meet its responsibilities fairly, impartially and professionally. I urge members of the Committee to approve the clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.