COMMISSION'S REPORTS AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION (Hansard, 18 June 1973)

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
I beg to move Amendment No. 58, in page 9, line 43, after make', insert: 'a report to him containing'.

Mr. Deputy Speaker
With this amendment it will be convenient for the House to discuss Amendment No. 59, in page 10, line 1, leave out subsection (4) and insert: '(4) Where, following the submission of any report by the Commission under this section, the Secretary of State decides to make an order thereunder which abolishes or alters the boundaries of any local government area, he shall lay any such report before Parliament together with the order, and any statutory instrument containing such an order shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.' and Amendment No. 61, in Clause 28, page 15, line 27, at end insert: 300 (4) The Boundary Commission shall make an annual report and the Secretary of State shall lay that report before Parliament'.

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
Amendments Nos. 58 and 59 are moved in response to the arguments put forward in Committee at the 26th sitting reported at columns 1278 to 1285, about the publication of the boundary commission's reports. The Government accept that it is right that Parliament should have the opportunity to see the commission's reports. The amendments ensure that when orders are laid before Parliament to implement the commission's recommendations on a local government boundary change the appropriate report is presented to Parliament at the same time.
We have also considered the case advanced by some hon. Members in Committee for the publication of annual reports, as proposed in Amendment No. 61. We think that this would not add much to what the Government's amendments will achieve. An annual report would inevitably tend to duplicate or summarise material and information contained more fully in reports on individual and comprehensive reviews, and the preparation of the annual report might tend to divert the commission's energy and attention away from its primary responsibilities. Clause 18 already makes extensive provision for the publicity of proposals formulated by the commission and ensures that information is made available to everyone interested.
Therefore, although I accept that Amendment No. 61 goes rather further than the Government amendments, I believe that the Government amendments secure a satisfactory balance between what it is practicable for the commission to do in publicising its work and giving the information which Members of Parliament find necessary and not overburdening the commission by requiring it to produce a mass of paper at times when it is not absolutely necessary that people should see it.

§ Mr. Ross
I assure the Under-Secretary that he is much more persuasive at 4.25 a.m. than the Secretary of State is at any time. On behalf of my right hon. and hon. Friends I am prepared to accept his amendments and assure him that I shall not press my amendment.