§ 16. Mr. Tim Rentonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with warding arrangements for the May district council elections.
§ Mr. RentonIn view of the announcement that the general election will be held on 3 May, will the Minister now consider postponing the district council elections?
§ Mr. WoodallWindy.
§ Mr. RentonI shall not be standing. If that were to be done, it would avoid confusion—[Interruption]—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. It is clear that the scent of the hustings is upon us. However, we should continue with normal business as long as we are here.
§ Mr. Renton—because many district councils, such as my own, have not yet finalised their warding arrangements. That will mean further district elections in 1980 and every year thereafter. Will there not also be a shortage of about 22,000 ballot boxes on 3 May?
§ Mr. JohnThe answer to the hon. Gentleman's questions is, almost universally, "No". I do not believe that there is a possibility for confusion. There may be confusion in Mid-Sussex, but that is not flattering to the hon. Gentleman's electorate.
§ Mr. WigleyIn view of the fact that the two elections are to be held on the same day, will the Minister consider, if he has not already done so, the extension of the hours for the district council elections. For voting purposes, one election is to be held from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. and the other from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
§ Mr. JohnThat matter will be considered, but it does not strictly arise out of the question on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. WardPeterborough will be satisfied with warding arrangements on 3 May. But does the Minister propose any changes in the arrangements for the parish council elections on that day, which are a third complication?—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Both sides should feel better now and we can carry on.
§ Mr. JohnI had no idea, Mr. Speaker, that my supplementary would be so popular.
There will be a Bill on the matter of Parish councils. I ask the hon. Gentleman to await that.