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Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986

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SCHEDULES

Section 2.

SCHEDULE 1U.K. The Boundary Commissions

ConstitutionU.K.

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

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

3U.K.The 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.

4U.K.A 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.

[F1F24AU.K.In the case of a member of a Commission other than the chairman or deputy chairman, the conditions referred to in paragraph 4 above may include such provisions with respect to remuneration as the Secretary of State may determine with the approval of the Treasury.]

Textual Amendments

OfficersU.K.

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.U.K.

(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.

7U.K.The 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.

ExpensesU.K.

8U.K.The expenses of each Commission, [F3including the remuneration and travelling and other expenses of the members, assistant Commissioners], secretary and other officers, shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.

Textual Amendments

F3Words in Sch. 1 para. 8 substituted (12.11.1992) by Boundary Commissions Act 1992 (c. 55), s. 1(4)

Proceedings and instrumentsU.K.

9U.K.A 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.

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

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

12U.K.Every 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.

Section 3.

SCHEDULE 2U.K. Rules for Redistribution of Seats

The rulesU.K.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

1(1)The number of constituencies in Great Britain shall not be substantially greater or less than 613.U.K.

F4(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)The number of constituencies in Wales shall not be less than 35.

(4)The number of constituencies in Northern Ireland shall not be greater than 18 or less than 16, and shall be 17 unless it appears to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland that Northern Ireland should for the time being be divided into 16 or (as the case may be) into 18 constituencies.

Textual Amendments

2U.K.Every constituency shall return a single member.

3U.K.There shall continue to be a constituency which shall include the whole of the City of London and the name of which shall refer to the City of London.

[F53AU.K.A constituency which includes the Orkney Islands or the Shetland Islands shall not include the whole or any part of a local government area other than the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands.]

Textual Amendments

F5Sch. 2 rule. 3A inserted (1.7.1999) by 1998 c. 46, s. 86(3) (with s. 126(3)-(11)); S.I. 1998/3178, art. 2(1)

4(1)So far as is practicable having regard to rules 1 to [F63A]—U.K.

(a)in England and Wales,—

(i)no county or any part of a county shall be included in a constituency which includes the whole or part of any other county or the whole or part of a London borough,

(ii)no London borough or any part of a London borough shall be included in a constituency which includes the whole or part of any other London borough,

(b)in Scotland, regard shall be had to the boundaries of local authority areas,

(c)in Northern Ireland, no ward shall be included partly in one constituency and partly in another.

[F7(1A)In sub-paragraph (1)(a) above “county” means, in relation to Wales, a preserved county (as defined by section 64 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994).]

(2)In sub-paragraph (1)(b) above “area” and “local authority” have the same meanings as in the M1Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Textual Amendments

F6Words in Sch. 2 rule 4(1) substituted (1.7.1999) by 1998 c. 46, s. 86(3) (with s. 126(3)-(11)); S.I. 1998/3178, art. 2(1)

F7Sch. 2 rule. 4(1A) inserted (1.10.1995) by 1994 c. 19, ss. 1(3), Sch. 2 para. 13 (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2); S.I. 1995/2490, art. 3(1), Sch. 1

Marginal Citations

5U.K.The electorate of any constituency shall be as near the electoral quota as is practicable having regard to rules 1 to 4; and a Boundary Commission may depart from the strict application of rule 4 if it appears to them that a departure is desirable to avoid an excessive disparity between the electorate of any constituency and the electoral quota, or between the electorate of any constituency and that of neighbouring constituencies in the part of the United Kingdom with which they are concerned.

6U.K.A Boundary Commission may depart from the strict application of rules 4 and 5 if special geographical considerations, including in particular the size, shape and accessibility of a constituency, appear to them to render a departure desirable.

General and supplementaryU.K.

7U.K.It shall not be the duty of a Boundary Commission to aim at giving full effect in all circumstances to the above rules [F8(except rule 3A)], but they shall take account, so far as they reasonably can—

(a)of the inconveniences attendant on alterations of constituencies other than alterations made for the purposes of rule 4, and

(b)of any local ties which would be broken by such alterations.

Textual Amendments

F8Words in Sch. 2 rule. 7 inserted (1.7.1999) by 1998 c. 46, s. 86(1) (with s. 126(3)-(11); S.I. 1998/3178, art. 2(1)

8U.K.In the application of rule 5 to each part of the United Kingdom for which there is a Boundary Commission—

(a)the expression “electoral quota” means a number obtained by dividing the electorate for that part of the United Kingdom by the number of constituencies in it existing on the enumeration date,

(b)the expression “electorate” means—

(i)in relation to a constituency, the number of persons whose names appear on the register of parliamentary electors in force on the enumeration date under the Representation of the People Acts for the constituency,

(ii)in relation to the part of the United Kingdom, the aggregate electorate as defined in sub-paragraph (i) above of all the constituencies in that part,

(c)the expression “enumeration date” means, in relation to any report of a Boundary Commission under this Act, the date on which the notice with respect to that report is published in accordance with section 5(1) of this Act.

9U.K.In this Schedule, a reference to a rule followed by a number is a reference to the rule set out in the correspondingly numbered paragraph of this Schedule.

Section 7.

SCHEDULE 3U.K. Consequential Amendments

The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973U.K.

F91U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F102U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975U.K.

3U.K.In Part III of Schedule 1 to the M2House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 for the words “Part I or Part II of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949” there shall be substituted the words “Schedule 1 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986”.

Marginal Citations

The Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975U.K.

4U.K.In Part III of Schedule 1 to the M3Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 for the words “Part I or Part II of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949” there shall be substituted the words “Schedule 1 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986”.

Marginal Citations

The [F11European Parliamentary] Elections Act 1978U.K.

Textual Amendments

F11Words substituted retrospectively by virtue of European Communities (Amendment) Act 1986 (c. 58, SIF 29:5), s. 3(1)(b)(3)

F125U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

The Finance (No. 2) Act 1983U.K.

F136U.K.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F13Sch. 3 para. 6 repealed (6.3.1992 with effect as mentioned in s. 289(1)(2) of the repealing Act) by Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12), ss. 289, 290, Sch.12 (with s. 201(3), Sch. 11 paras. 22, 26(2), 27)

Section 8.

SCHEDULE 4U.K. Repeals

ChapterShort TitleExtent of Repeal
11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 65.The Representation of the People Act 1948.Section 1(1).
Section 81.
12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 66.The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1949.The whole Act.
6 & 7 Eliz. 2. c. 26.The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1958.The whole Act.
1963 c. 33.The London Government Act 1963.Section 4(7)(c).
Section 8(1).
In Schedule 3, in Part II, paragraph 21.
1973 c. 36.The Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.Section 28(7).
1973 c. 65.The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.In Schedule 3,
paragraphs 1 and 19.
1979 c. 15.The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1979.The whole Act.
1986 c. 12.The Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1986.In Schedule 2,
paragraph 4(1).

Prospective

U.K. TABLE OF DERIVATIONS

Note: The following abbreviations are used in this Table:—

1949 =The House of Commons (Redustribution of Seats) Act 1949 (12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6 c. 66)
1958 =The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1958 (6 & 7 Eliz. 2. c. 26)
1963 =The London Government Act 1963 (c. 33)
1972 =The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70)
1973 =The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65)
1979 =The House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1979 (c. 15)
SL(R) 1986 =The Statute Law Repeals Act 1986 (c. 12)
S.I. 1951/753 =The Transfer of Function (Minister of Health and Minister of Local Government and Planning) (No. 2) Order 1951 (S.I. 1951/753)
S.I. 1968/1656 =The Minister for the Civil Service Order 1968 (S.I. 1968/1656)
S.I. 1970/1681 =The Secretary of State for the Environment Order 1970 (S.I. 1970/1681)
S.I. 1973/2095 =The Local Government reorganisation (Consequential Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1973 (S.I. 1973/2095)
S.I. 1981/1670 =The Transfer of Functions (Minister for the Civil Service and Treasury) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/1670)

ProvisionDerivation
1(1)Representation of the People Act 1948 (c. 65) s. 1(1); SL(R) 1986 Sch. 2, para. 4(1).
(2)1949 s. 4.
2(1)1949 s. 1(1).
(2)Introduces Schedule 1.
3(1)1949 s. 2(1); 1958 s. 2(2).
(2)1958 s. 2(1).
(3)1949 s. 2(3); 1958 s. 2(2).
(4)1949 ss. 3(1), 6.
(5)1949 s. 2(5).
(6)Introduces Schedule 2.
4(1)(4)1949 s. 3(2)(5).
(5),(6)1949 s. 3(6).
(7)1949 s. 3(7).
5(1)1949 s. 2(4).
(2)1949 Sch. 1 Pt. III, para. 3.
(3)1958 s. 4(1).
6(1)1949 Sch. 1 Pt. III, para. 4.
(2),(3)1958 s. 4(2).
(4)1958 s. 4(3), (4); 1972 s. 179(3); 1973 Sch. 3, para. 19; S.I. 1973/2095 Art. 2(7).
(5),(6)1949 Sch. 1 Pt. III, para. 5(1)(2); 1972 s. 272(2).
(7)1949 Sch. 1 Pt. III, para. 5(3).
79
Sch. 1
para.1)1949 Sch. 1 Pt. I, para. 1.
21949 Sch. 1 Pt. I, paras, 25; 1958 Sch., para. 1; S.I. 1951/753 Art. 8(1); S.I. 1970/1681 Art. 6(3).
31958 s. 1(1), Sch. para. 1.
41949 Sch. 1 Pt. I, para. 8; 1958 s. 1(1).
51958 s. 1(2); Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36) s. 28(7).
6, 71949 Sch. 1 Pt. II, paras. 1, 2; S.I. 1968/1656 Art. 3(2); S.I. 1981/1670 Art. 3(5).
81949 Sch. 1 Pt. II, para. 3.
9, 101949 Sch. 1 Pt. III, paras. 1, 2.
11, 121949 Sch. 1 Pt. III, paras. 6, 7.
ProvisionDerivation
Sch. 2
1(1)(3)1949 Sch. 2, para. 1.
(4)1949 Sch. 2, para. 1; 1979 s. 1(1), (2).
2, 31949 Sch. 2, paras. 2, 3.
41949 Sch. 2, para. 4; 1963 Sch. 3 Pt. II, para. 21; 1973 Sch. 3, para. 1; S.I. 1973/2095 Art. 2(7).
5, 61949 Sch. 2, paras. 5, 6.
71958 s. 2(2).
81949 Sch. 2, para. 7; 1958 s. 3, Sch., para. 2.
9Interpretation.
Sch. 3.
Sch. 4

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