Clause 19 - Advice of the Electoral Commission
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
12:00 pm
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon, Conservative)
I rise to support my hon. Friend. It is important for people participating in a referendum on regional government to make a choice based on every possible piece of information. District boundaries are important to people. In any review of constituencies, people's support depends on which communities are brought together, whether they identify with their district and whether they feel comfortable with the new arrangements. That is particularly relevant in this case.
There is a clue in clause 19(3) that the draftsman of the Bill recognises the importance of that point. It mentions the Electoral Commission advising the Secretary of State about a number of things, including the number of electoral areas and their names. What is the significance of that? It is that the name of a district or constituency partly reflects its character and identity. Should not people know that before they decide whether to vote for a regional government or to express interest in a referendum? It is not as though the Government were bashful about doing things in advance. They are already taking soundings—before the Bill has been debated in the House of Commons, let alone the other place—about whether people are interested in having a referendum. They have put out to consultation their draft policy and procedure guidance for the boundary committee on the local government review for England. What is to stop them drafting something about the boundaries of the new districts at the same time? That is important. The Government should give the electorate the maximum amount of information so that they can make an informed choice about whether to have regional government. It should be supplied at the right time, not after it is a done deal. I strongly support the amendment.