- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As made)
The European Parliament (Number of MEPs and Distribution between Electoral Regions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2008
You are here:
- UK Statutory Instruments
- 2008 No. 1954
- Whole Instrument
- Previous
- Next
What Version
Opening Options
More Resources
Status:
This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
Statutory Instruments
2008 No. 1954
Representation Of The People
The European Parliament (Number of MEPs and Distribution between Electoral Regions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2008
Made
17th July 2008
Coming into force in accordance with article 1.
The Treaty concerning the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union signed at Luxembourg on 25th April 2005 (“the Luxembourg Treaty”) changed the number of MEPs to be elected for the United Kingdom(1).
The Luxembourg Treaty (which has been approved by Parliament and become part of the Community Treaties by virtue of the European Union (Accessions) Act 2006(2)) was ratified by the United Kingdom on 5th April 2006 and entered into force on 1st January 2007(3).
This Order implements the recommendation of the Electoral Commission dated 31st July 2007 made in accordance with section 3 of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”)(4) as to the distribution between the electoral regions of the changed number of United Kingdom MEPs(5).
The Secretary of State has consulted the Electoral Commission about this Order in accordance with section 5(7) of the 2003 Act.
A draft of this Order has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
Accordingly, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 5(1) and 6(3) of the 2003 Act, makes the following Order:
Citation and commencement
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the European Parliament (Number of MEPs and Distribution between Electoral Regions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2008.
(2) This Order shall come into force on the day after the day on which it is made.
(3) Articles 2 and 3 do not affect the number or distribution of United Kingdom MEPs during the rest of the current term of the European Parliament.
Amendment of European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002
2.—(1) Section 1 of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002(6) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (1) (number of MEPs and electoral regions) for “78” substitute “72”.
(3) For subsection (3) substitute—
“(3) The number of MEPs to be elected for each electoral region is as follows—
| East Midlands | 5 |
| Eastern | 7 |
| London | 8 |
| North East | 3 |
| North West | 8 |
| South East | 10 |
| South West | 6 |
| West Midlands | 6 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 6 |
| Scotland | 6 |
| Wales | 4 |
| Northern Ireland | 3.” |
Revocation
3. The European Parliament (Number of MEPs) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2004(7) (which makes amendments that are superseded by this Order) is revoked.
Jack Straw
Secretary of State for Justice
17th July 2008
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order amends section 1(1) of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c.24) (“the 2002 Act”) to provide for a reduction in the number of MEPs elected for the United Kingdom from 78 to 72, implementing Article 9 of the Act annexed to the Luxembourg Treaty (Cm.6657).
This Order also amends section 1(3) of the 2002 Act to specify how the seats allocated to the United Kingdom will be distributed across the electoral regions, implementing the Electoral Commission’s recommendation made on 31 July 2007 in accordance with section 3 of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 (c.7). As recommended by the Electoral Commission, the number of MEPs to be elected for each of the following electoral regions will be reduced by one: East Midlands, London, North West, South West, West Midlands, and Scotland. There is no change to the number of MEPs to be elected for the other electoral regions.
The Order does not affect the number or distribution of United Kingdom MEPs during the rest of the current term of the European Parliament.
This Order revokes the European Parliament (Number of MEPs) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) Order 2004 (S.I.2004/1245) which makes amendments to section 1(1) and (3) of the 2002 Act that are superseded by this Order.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this Order as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.
(1)
Article 9 of the Act annexed to the Luxembourg Treaty. The text of the Luxembourg Treaty is set out in Cm.6657.
(2)
2006 c.2. Section 1(1) of the European Union (Accessions) Act 2006 inserted section 1(2)(r) into the European Communities Act 1972 (c.68), which includes the Luxembourg Treaty in the definition of “the Community Treaties”.
(3)
By virtue of section 5(5)(b) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 (c.7), no amendment to section 1 of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c.24) implementing a change made by a treaty provision may come into force before that provision has both entered into force and become part of the Community Treaties specified in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 (c.68).
(4)
2003 c.7. Sections 3(1) and (5) and sections 5(1) and (7) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 were amended by S.I. 2003/1887 which substituted “Secretary of State” for “Lord Chancellor”.
(5)
By virtue of section 5(2) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 (c.7), an amendment to the number of MEPs to be elected in the electoral regions must be in accordance with the distribution proposed in a recommendation of the Electoral Commission which is effective on the day on which the Order is made. Under section 3(5)(b) of that Act, a recommendation of the Electoral Commission made under section 3 of that Act ceases to have effect at the end of the period of one year beginning on the day on which it is made.
(6)
2002 c. 24. Section 1 was substituted by section 1, and extended to Gibraltar by section 19, of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 (c.7). Section 1 of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c.24) and the Table in Schedule 1 to that Act (areas included in electoral regions) were also amended by S.I.2004/366 and S.I.2004/1245. By virtue of article 3(6) of S.I.2004/366, Gibraltar is combined with the South West electoral region for the purpose of European Parliamentary elections.
(7)
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Instrument
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
Explanatory Memorandum
Explanatory Memorandum sets out a brief statement of the purpose of a Statutory Instrument and provides information about its policy objective and policy implications. They aim to make the Statutory Instrument accessible to readers who are not legally qualified and accompany any Statutory Instrument or Draft Statutory Instrument laid before Parliament from June 2004 onwards.
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- correction slips
- links to related legislation and further information resources
More Resources
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
- correction slips
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- links to related legislation and further information resources
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use.