Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2016 to Question 54390, how many civil servants are employed full-time in support of the 2018 boundary review; and if he will make a statement.

Following laws passed by Parliament, the independent and impartial Boundary Commissions are currently consulting on their proposals to deliver the Boundary Review, and their final proposals will be shared with 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 are between them currently employing a total of 32 staff (full-time equivalent) on the conduct of the Boundary Review. 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).