Question

To ask the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Committee has made of the potential effect on the Electoral Commission's future expenditure of the abolition of the election of councillors to local authorities by halves or thirds.

The Electoral Commission has made no assessment of the impact on its future expenditure if legislation was to be brought forward and approved to abolish elections by halves or thirds for all English local authorities.