§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will estimate the cost of the second statutory review of electoral arrangements for the districts of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire; and to what use the fruits of the review will be put;
(2) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the decision to proceed with the second statutory review of electoral district boundaries in Roxburghshire and Berwickshire;
(3) what use is to be made of the Local Government Boundary Commission reports following the second statutory review of electoral arrangements in Roxburgh and Berwickshire in the light of the Government proposals to reform local government in Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland has a statutory responsibility under section 16 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to undertake regular reviews of electoral arrangements of local government areas in Scotland. In the case of Roxburgh district and Berwickshire district this must be completed before local government restructuring will be implemented. It is imperative that local electoral arrangements are kept up-to-date and reflect changing local circumstances. Whatever structure of local government is adopted following the Government's present review, it is likely that the district ward boundaries will be of assistance in devising the electoral divisions in the new authorities. It is therefore sensible on all counts that the reviews should proceed.
It is not possible to estimate the costs of the review in Roxburgh and Berwickshire districts separately from the reviews which are taking place simultaneously in other parts of the country.
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§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now cancel the second statutory review of electoral arrangements for Roxburgh and Berwickshire districts.