Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 28045 on Local Government Boundary Commission for England, whether additional resources will be provided to the Local Boundary Commission for England in the context of the Government’s plans for local government restructuring in England.

The Speaker’s Committee has a statutory role to review the annual estimates of resources of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). It also considers the organisation’s five-year plan at the start of a Parliament.

As part of the process, the LGBCE submits a draft estimate and five-year plan to the Committee for consideration. In turn the Committee consults the Treasury on these and has regard to any advice the Treasury gives.

Ahead of the new financial year, the Committee is holding a public session with the LGBCE to consider its position. The Committee will then decide whether it is satisfied that the estimated level of income and expenditure requested is consistent with the economical, efficient and effective discharge by the Commission of its functions. If the Committee were not so satisfied, it would make modifications to the estimate as it considers appropriate for the purpose of achieving such consistency.

As part of this year’s review the Committee will need to assess whether the LGBCE has the appropriate level of provision to ensure it has the capacity and expertise to respond to requests for assistance in the context of the Government’s plans for local government restructuring in England.

The Committee is planning to meet the LGBCE next on 19 March 2025 and it will then take a decision on whether to lay the main estimate for financial year 2025/26 before the House of Commons for approval.