Parliamentary Constituencies Bill — New Clause 1 — Permissable Variation of Electorate per Constituency — 14 Jul 2020 at 17:45

The majority of MPs voted against allowing extra variation in the size of the electorate in a constituency where there are considerations such as the size, shape and accessibility or other electoral boundaries.

MPs were considering the Parliamentary Constituencies Bill^[1].

The proposed new clause rejected in this vote was titled: Electorate per constituency and stated:

• After rule 2(1) of Schedule 2 to the 1986 Act, insert—
• “(1A) Notwithstanding rule 2(1), where it is necessary to take account of the factors listed in rule 5, the electorate of any constituency shall be—
• (a) no less than 92.5% of the United Kingdom electoral quota, and
• (b) no more than 107.5% of that quota.”’

An explanatory statement from the proposer of the rejected new clause stated:

• This new clause seeks to instruct the Boundary Commission to aim for 5% above or below the electoral quota calculated in accordance with Schedule 2 rule 2(3) of the 1986 Act; but widens the permissible range in a constituency‘s electorate up to 7.5% above or below the electoral quota in difficult cases where it is necessary to do so to take proper account of all the considerations in rule 5 of Schedule 2 to the 1986 Act. It will be at the Boundary Commission‘s discretion whether to apply the wider flexibility in specific cases, in order to comply with the rule 5 considerations such as to maintain local and community ties, or to prevent the division of wards.
• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Debate in Parliament |