§ MR. FREDERICK WILSONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can take steps to prevent the weakening of the rural interest caused by taking away Members from counties where the electorate is comparatively large and retaining Members in boroughs where the electorate is inconsiderable; whether, by the Redistribution proposals, one of the county constituencies in Norfolk with a population of over 40,000 will be obliterated, whereas the borough o. King's Lynn, in the same county, with a population of 20,000, will be retained; and whether some modification can be made in the Redistribution proposals so that small 569 boroughs, instead of having an absolutely separate existence, are made the heads of county districts.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think perhaps the simplest way of answering the hon. Gentleman is to point out to him that, even if King's Lynn is merged in the county, the county will still, under the scheme of the Government, lose one seat, which the hon. Gentleman very naturally deplores.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the population of King's Lynn is not 20,000, as stated, but over 20,000; that ever since I have been the Member for King's Lynn the population has annually increased, and that it is still increasing.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI quite accept the hon. Gentleman's statement upon that matter.