§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his intention that local government boundary changes will go ahead in May 1980; and whether it is intended to revise parliamentary boundaries in 1984.
§ Mr. BrittanI understand that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England will not have completed all of its reviews of local government electoral arrangements in time for them to be brought into effect by May 1980. The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is statutorily required to report on its current general review of parliamentary constituencies by April 1984; the Commissions for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also required to submit their reports in that year. If approved by Parliament, the new constituencies will take effect at the first general election after the appropriate Orders in Council have been made.