Clause 20 - Preparation and submission of evidence
Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill
5:45 pm
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 74, in
clause 20, page 11, line 11, at end add
'provided such timetable shall not require the submission of their advice by the Electoral Commission within less than twelve months from the date of the direction.'.
The clause deals with the Electoral Commission's response, having been given a direction under clause 19. The amendment, which need not detain us for long, would put a minimum time limit on the requirement for the commission to report back. I do not suggest that the timetable imposed by the Secretary of State would be designed to prevent the commission from doing the job that it has to do, and amendment No. 74 simply suggests that a one-year period should be specified to allow the commission to carry out its electoral district exercise within a region. If the Minister says that a year is far too long, I am prepared to accept that.
I selected a year because the Minister said in previous debates that that is how long it would take, give or take a few months, to carry out the local government review. We want to ensure that the Electoral Commission cannot be required to report within an unreasonably short period. The Bill should contain a requirement for a minimum timetable. If the Minister will not concede that, will he at least give the Committee a commitment on the minimum amount of time that he expects to give the Electoral Commission? Will he give a further commitment to consult it on the appropriate length of time that it will have to report after receiving its instructions?