HC Deb 20 May 1976 vol 911 cc1697-700
12. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the length of time the Boundary Commission would take to draw up the boundaries of the constituencies in the event of direct elections to a European Assembly.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

The length of time that the Boundary Commissions would take to draw up constituency boundaries for direct elections to the European Assembly depends on the terms of reference and procedure which Parliament gives them in the legislation. I look forward to hearing the views of the Select Committee on this point.

Mr. Marten

That is an eminently sensible answer. May we have an assurance that when the Boundary Commissions come into operation they will operate in precisely the same way for direct elections as for the ordinary constituency boundary changes, and that there will be no short cuts in order to expedite direct elections?

Mr. Jenkins

No, I cannot give any such assurance. As I told the House quite firmly in the debate on the White Paper on direct elections, it would be desirable for the constituencies to be drawn up by the Boundary Commissions rather than it being done by Parliament, which is perhaps not best suited to such a job. That being so, it is essential, if we are to meet the timetable—if that remains as 1978—that the commissions should operate with existing "building blocks". They cannot go back and start afresh. They must take existing constituency units and make recommendations as to how they can be put together for direct elections.

Mr. Heffer

I welcome the statement by my right hon. Friend that he will take into consideration the views of the Boundary Commissions. Is he aware that the Labour Party has not yet taken a view on the question of direct elections? Therefore, will he consult not only the Labour Party but the other parties before any decision is taken by the Government either about boundaries or about the principle of direct elections?

Mr. Jenkins

There have been consultations with the parties, but I think it must be the constitutional position that the decision in principle about whether we should have direct elections should be taken by the Government and endorsed by the House, and not by any party.

Sir D. Walker-Smith

The Home Secretary refers to using the existing pattern of constituency boundaries as a basis. Would it not give greater confidence in the exercise if he expedited the redrawing of constituency boundaries for the House of Commons and corrected the grotesque disparities which at present exist in the size of electorates?

Mr. Jenkins

There are, of course, conflicting considerations to be borne in mind here. There is, first, the undesirability of constant flux in the map of parliamentary constituencies. That affects the whole country. There is also the undesirability of continuing with constituencies that are grossly larger than other constituencies. A balance must be struck between these two considerations, and I believe that that will be done sensibly by sticking to the timetable laid down by the Boundary Commissions that they should report between 10 and 15 years after their last general reports. The next reports should begin to be available after 1979.

Mr. Jay

Does my right hon. Friend think that before the House takes a final decision other bodies should be consulted, as was done by the Government with the TUC in the case of the incomes policy?

Mr. Jenkins

Of course other bodies should be consulted. There has been close consultation with the party organisations. The Select Committee will no doubt take account of such views. These consultations can be held again and discussed by the House before it takes a final decision. My hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) seemed to be suggesting more than that, and that some other body should take the decision.

Mr. Heffer

I did not say that.

Mr. Carlisle

Does the Home Secretary agree that if the constituencies for the European Parliament are to be made up of groupings of existing parliamentary constituencies, that could be done very quickly by the Boundary Commissions?

Mr. Jenkins

Yes, I think it could be done quite quickly and ably, and done better by an independent body. If I have misrepresented my hon. Friend the Member for Walton, I apologise.

Mr. MacFarquhar

I welcome what my right hon. Friend said about attempting to build on existing boundaries. Will he do his best to ensure that the European Parliament constituency boundaries do not cross over the original Westminster boundaries? If he does not, he will add to the problems of devolution.

Mr. Jenkins

I take note of that point, although in a sense points of that sort—the Government having taken the view that a Select Committee would be an advantage—are more relevant for Select Committee consideration.