[Sir Alan Haselhurst in the Chair] — Clause 1 — Referendums

Part of Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill – in the House of Commons at 6:15 pm on 18 December 2002.

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Photo of Jim Knight Jim Knight Labour, South Dorset 6:15, 18 December 2002

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way for a second time. I have two questions for him. First, why does he cite Bristol as the base for the south-west, given that it is highly possible that it would be Exeter, which is certainly much more straightforward for people from the Isles of Scilly to get to? Secondly, why does he seek to decouple the boundary reviews of local government, while supporting the coupling of reviews of regional boundaries? He wants to simplify matters for the elector by uncoupling, but now he seeks a coupling. That seems contradictory.