Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986

Section 2.

SCHEDULE 1The Boundary Commissions

Constitution

1The Speaker of the House of Commons shall be the chairman of each of the four Commissions.

2Each of the four Commissions shall consist of the chairman, a deputy chairman and two other members appointed by the Secretary of State.

3The deputy chairman—

(a)in the case of the Commission for England shall be a judge of the High Court appointed by the Lord Chancellor,

(b)in the case of the Commission for Scotland shall be a judge of the Court of Session appointed by the Lord President of the Court of Session,

(c)in the case of the Commission for Wales shall be a judge of the High Court appointed by the Lord Chancellor,

(d)in the case of the Commission for Northern Ireland shall be a judge of the High Court in Northern Ireland appointed by the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.

4A member of any Commission (other than the chairman) shall hold his appointment for such term and on such conditions as may be determined before his appointment by the person appointing him.

Officers

5The officers of each Commission shall include, as assessors, the following persons—

(a)in the case of the Commission for England, the Registrar General for England and Wales and the Director General of Ordnance Survey,

(b)in the case of the Commission for Scotland, the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for Scotland and the Director General of Ordnance Survey,

(c)in the case of the Commission for Wales, the Registrar General for England and Wales and the Director General of Ordnance Survey,

(d)in the case of the Commission for Northern Ireland, the Registrar General of Births and Deaths in Northern Ireland, the Commissioner of Valuation for Northern Ireland and the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.

6(1)The Secretary of State may, at the request of any Commission, appoint one or more assistant Commissioners to inquire into, and report to the Commission upon, such matters as the Commission think fit.

(2)Any such assistant Commissioner shall be appointed either for a certain term or for the purposes of a particular inquiry, and on such conditions as to remuneration and otherwise as may be determined before his appointment by the Secretary of State with the approval of the Treasury.

7The Secretary of State shall appoint a secretary to each of the Commissions, and may appoint such other officers of any Commission as he may determine with the approval of the Treasury, and the term and conditions of any such appointment shall be such as may be so determined.

Expenses

8The expenses of each Commission, including the travelling and other expenses of the members and the remuneration and expenses of the assistant Commissioners, secretary and other officers, shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.

Proceedings and instruments

9A Commission shall have power to act notwithstanding a vacancy among their members, and at any meeting of a Commission two, or such greater number as the Commission may determine, shall be the quorum.

10For the purpose of considering any matter of common concern, the Commissions, or any two or three of them, may hold joint meetings.

11Subject to the provisions of this Act, each of the Commissions shall have power to regulate their own procedure.

12Every document purporting to be an instrument made or issued by a Commission and to be signed by the secretary or any person authorised to act in that behalf, shall be received in evidence and shall, until the contrary is proved, be deemed to be an instrument made or issued by the Commission.