Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill — Threshold for Making Result of AV Referendum Binding — 16 Feb 2011 at 12:46

The majority of members of the House of Lords voted to make the referendum on using the "alternative vote" system for electing MPs non-binding on the Government if less than 40% of the electorate took part.

The House of Lords was considering the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill^[1]. The amendment accepted in this vote was:

• Amendment A1: As an amendment to Motion A, leave out from "House" to end and insert "do insist on its Amendments 1 and 8".

Motion A was^[2]:

• That this House do not insist on its Amendments 1 and 8 to which the Commons have disagreed for their Reasons 1A and 8A:

Amendment 1 was^[2]:

• Page 1, line 5, at end insert—
• “(1A) If less than 40% of the electorate vote in the referendum, the result shall not be binding.”

Amendment 8 was:

• Page 5, line 36, at end insert—
• “( ) In section 1(1A)—
• (a) “the electorate” is defined as those persons entitled to vote in the referendum, as defined in section 2;
• (b) the turnout figure is to be calculated on the basis that 100% turnout is defined as the total number of individuals who are entitled to vote in the referendum, as defined in section 2; and
• (c) “vote” is defined as votes counted under Part 1 of this Act.”

Both of these amendments relate to making the referendum on using the "alternative vote" system for electing MPs non-binding on the Government if less than 40% of the electorate took part.

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
• [2] Lords Amendments to the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Debate in Parliament | Source |