§ Baroness AmosMy right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made the following Ministerial Statement.
The Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended by the Boundary Commissions Act 1992 requires that the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland undertake periodical reviews of constituencies in Northern Ireland. The commission is required to submit a report to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland not less than eight or more than 12 years from its last report. The present review commenced on 16 May 2003.
The commission is announcing its provisional recommendations for constituencies in Northern Ireland today. The proposals are to be made available for public inspection at district council headquarters and electoral offices, public libraries and the offices of the Electoral Commission and the Boundary Commission to coincide with the formal publication of the provisional recommendations on 6 May. The commission is required to take into consideration any representations made within one month of publication of the proposals.
I will, of course, report back to Parliament once the commission has made its final recommendations.