Regional Assemblies (Hansard, 28 October 2003)

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on which dates he intends to hold the referenda on the proposed regional assemblies in(a) the North West, (b) the North East and (c) Yorkshire and Humberside; and if he will make a statement. [134403]

§ Mr. Raynsford
No dates have been decided for the referendums on whether to establish elected regional assemblies in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humberside regions.
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister cannot order referendums until six weeks after he receives the Boundary Committee for England's 210W recommendations on options for restructuring two-tier local government in the regions, planned for 25 May 2004.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the expected cost(a) by region and (b) in Pendle is of the postal ballot in the referendums on regional assemblies. [134611]

§ Mr. Raynsford
Information in the Electoral Commission's report "The shape of elections to come" suggests that the direct cost of postal referendums on elected assemblies would be around £1.10 per elector.
On this basis the cost by region of the elected assembly referendum would be £5.7 million in the north west, £4.1 million in Yorkshire and Humberside and £2.1 million in the north east. These figures assume that everyone eligible to vote returns a ballot paper. In practice costs will depend upon turnout, as this will affect postal and processing costs. There will be some additional costs in those parts of the region which also have a local referendum.
It is too soon to estimate the costs in Pendle.

§ Geraldine Smith
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his latest estimate is of the cost of holding a referendum on regional government in(a) the north west region and (b) the three northern regions, including the costs of postal ballots. [134661]

§ Mr. Raynsford
Information in the Electoral Commission's report "The shape of elections to come" suggests that the direct cost of postal referendums on elected assemblies would be around £1.10 per elector
On this basis the cost by region of the elected assembly referendum would be £5.7 million in the north west and £11.9 million in the three northern regions.
These figures assume that everyone eligible to vote returns a ballot paper. In practice costs will depend upon turnout, as this will affect postal and processing costs. There will be some additional costs in those parts of the region which also have a local referendum.