HL Deb 07 December 1998 vol 595 cc777-8

7 P.m.

Lord Hoyle rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 4th November be approved [47th Report from the Joint Committee, Session 1997–98].

The noble Lord said: My Lords, the order gives effect without modification to the final recommendations in respect of the 16 constituencies in Greater London, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire which are described in the report of the interim review presented to the Home Secretary by the Boundary Commission for England on 26th June.

If the draft miscellaneous changes order now before this House is approved by your Lordships, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary will submit it to Her Majesty in Council to be made. Article 1(3) provides that the order comes into operation on the fourteenth day after the day on which it is made, but the new boundaries will not take effect until the next general election.

The commission's recommendations are framed only to take account of anomalies which have arisen between parliamentary constituency and local government boundaries in those areas since June 1994. The changes affect some 3,721 electors in total. These proposals are moderate and sensible and have been welcomed in the areas affected. The commission has received only one objection to the recommendations. That objection raised matters which would have required changes more than the minimum required to bring boundaries back into alignment with local government boundaries and was considered by the commission to be more appropriate for the next general review.

The draft Order in Council now before your Lordships was considered in another place on 17th November and has been approved by that other place. I have no hesitation in commending the commission's final recommendations to your Lordships. I beg to move.

On Question, Motion agreed to.