§ 10.3 am
§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Patrick Mayhew)I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time.
This Bill consolidates the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Acts from 1949 to 1979, together with a small number of related enactments. It brings together the law relating to the establishment of parliamentary constituencies and the process of reviewing the distribution of seats undertaken by the Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Bill, which was prepared by the Law Commission, has been passed in another place where, in the usual way, it was referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills. That Committee reported to both Houses on 25 June that the Bill is pure consolidation. No change in the present law will be effected.
Our thanks are due once again to the Law Commission and the Joint Committee for their work on this useful contribution to the continuous process of keeping the statute book in easily accessible form.
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne, East)The Bill is pure consolidation, and on that basis it is acceptable. I add my thanks to those of the Solicitor-General to both the Law Commission and the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills for their valuable work. It is right that we should thank them when consolidation Bills come before the House.
The purpose of consolidation Bills is to make life easier for practitioners and those who have to refer frequently to our legislation. I am not sure how frequently this Bill will need to be referred to— not very often, I should have thought. It is pure consolidation, and I see no reason at all why the passage of the Bill should be delayed.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Bill accordingly read a Second time.
§ Bill committed to a Committee of the whole House —[Mr. Durant.]
§ Bill immediately considered in Committee; reported, without amendment; read the Third time, and passed, without amendment.