Constituencies

(asked on 22nd November 2016) - View Source

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate the amount the Government has spent on the 2018 boundary review to date; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Chris Skidmore Portrait
Chris Skidmore
This question was answered on 29th November 2016

Following laws passed by Parliament, the independent and impartial Boundary Commissions are currently consulting on their proposals to deliver the Boundary Review, and they will submit their final proposals to Parliament in autumn 2018. These reforms will ensure fair and equal representation for the voting public across the United Kingdom by the next general election, and also delivers on the Government’s manifesto pledge to reduce the size of the Commons which will save an estimated £66 million over the course of a Parliament.

Equalising the size of constituencies in the Boundary Review will ensure everyone’s vote will carry equal weight. Without such boundary reforms, MPs could end up representing constituencies based on data that is over 20 years’ old, disregarding significant changes in demographics, house building and migration. As it stands, some constituencies have twice as many electors than other constituencies and this cannot be right.

The four Boundary Commissions have, to date, spent approximately £2.3 million on the conduct of the current Boundary Review. This is money which would be wasted under the Labour Party’s proposals to try to block and delay this independent Review (as per the divisions of 18 November 2016, Official Report, Columns 563-666).

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