Clause 14 - Review procedure

Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:30 am on 18 December 2002.

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Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

Photo of Philip Hammond Philip Hammond Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government)

This apparently straightforward clause applies certain provisions of the Local Government Act 1992 to a review carried out by the boundary committee under this part of the Bill. It is relatively impenetrable, and I wonder whether the Under-Secretary would help the Committee by running through the various provisions in the table and explaining in plain English—his Department's speciality—what they mean.

Photo of Chris Leslie Chris Leslie Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)

After that adequate speech, I shall do my best to respond.

Clause 14 makes provision for the basis on which local government reviews are to be carried out and for the procedures to be adopted by the boundary committee. It does so by importing the relevant provisions of the 1992 Act, modified as necessary to reflect the particular circumstances of the reviews. The Act defines structural and boundary change, sets out the procedure to be followed by the boundary committee in carrying out the reviews and provides for the assistance of the Audit Commission should it be required.

The modifications to the Act do four things. First, they reflect the fact that the Bill directly charges the boundary committee for England with reviewing the structure and boundaries of local authorities in the region and making recommendations to the Secretary of State. That differs from the Act, which would normally place a duty on the Electoral Commission to recommend structural and boundary changes for an area. The modifications therefore take the Electoral Commission out of the equation and insert in its place the boundary committee.

Secondly, the Act allows for electoral reviews as well as structure and boundary reviews. Electoral reviews are often the necessary consequence of structure or boundary reviews and provide for the electoral arrangements, including warding, that will govern elections in the restructuring authorities. Electoral reviews may be needed before elections can be held to the new unitary authorities recommended by the boundary committee.

The Government have decided, however, that electoral reviews should not be conducted at the same time as local government reviews. To do otherwise might involve work that could ultimately prove to be unnecessary if, following a referendum, we did not establish a regional assembly. The modifications therefore mean that electoral reviews will not be carried out as part of local government reviews. There will be time afterwards to conduct such electoral reviews before elections to the new authorities.

Thirdly, the amendments omit references to London authorities, as they will not be subject to local government reviews. Fourthly, the clause modifies the Act to ensure that parish boundaries are not included in local government reviews. We do not intend the pattern of parish and town councils to be affected by changes to the structure and boundaries of the principal authorities in the regions. There are, in any case, well-established arrangements for the creation or alteration of parishes, and they are quite adequate to deal with the alteration of parish boundaries in the event that any is needed as a result of local government reviews.

The clause ensures that local government reviews will be conducted in much the same manner as structure and boundary reviews carried out by the Electoral Commission under the 1992 Act. I commend the clause to the Committee.

Photo of Philip Hammond Philip Hammond Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government)

I am impressed by the Under-Secretary's encyclopaedic knowledge of the clause. For a ''mere Minister'', I thought that it was impressive. I am most grateful to him for that clarification, and I have no further questions.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 14 ordered to stand part of the Bill.