§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD JOWITT)My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing on the Paper in my name, That the Special Order be approved. Your Lordships will be aware that under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act, 1944, Boundary Commissions were to be appointed to settle and determine the boundaries of the various Parliamentary constituencies. By an Act of 1945, passed in February of this year, at a time when we were not certain when the war would end, it was provided that the Boundary Commissions should start work on October 15, 1946, but there was a latitude, by an Order in Council, to advance or retard the date by one year, and the object of this Motion is to advance the date so that the Boundary Commissions can start work on October 15, 1945. In view of the happy termination of the war and the great amount of work which the Boundary Commissions have to do, I am sure your Lordships will all be satisfied that they should start work on the earlier date—namely, October 15, 1945. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Special Order, as reported from the Special Orders Committee yesterday, be approved. — (The Lord Chancellor.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.