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Local Elections (Ordinary Day of Elections in 2009) Order 2008

My Lords, as I have a very fine answer on that, I shall not be denied the opportunity to read it. The noble Lord was going to ask what the arrangements would be for the returning officer for European elections in the new unitary councils. It is a very good question. Our approach is that the local returning officers for the European elections in the new unitary areas will be officers of the new unitary councils. We will shortly bring forward regulations to provide for that. They will set out that new unitary councils, such as Cornwall, must appoint persons to act as returning officers by 30 November this year, and the appointment will be made by the councils’ implementation executives. The noble Lord, Lord Teverson, asked when the further order for Cornwall will be brought forward. As I said, we will be taking further soundings. We recognise the need for certainty as soon as is practicable. In order to move the date of the local elections further, we will need to bring forward an order in time for it to be in force by 30 April. This points to laying a draft order in the first half of February at the latest, and that is the timetable that we are working to. I believe that I have answered most, if not all, of the questions that were raised. If I have not, I shall ensure that I do so in writing.