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Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

Even Homer nodded, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms), I beg to move,"That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill, it is expedient to authorise—""(1) the payment out of the Consolidated Fund of sums required by the Electoral Commission to meet—""(a) the charges payable to Regional Counting Officers in connection with a referendum held on the voting system for parliamentary elections, and""(b) sums payable in respect of increases in superannuation contributions required to be paid by local authorities in consequence of fees paid as part of those charges, and""(2) the payment out of money provided by Parliament of any expenditure incurred by virtue of the Act by the National Archives or any other government department." The motion, which adds to previous money resolutions, relates to two matters: the establishment of regional counting officers, which will be necessary for the proper administration of the referendum on voting systems to which the House has already agreed; and the provision of funds for the implementation of the Dacre report. Some extra costs will be involved in connection with that as the period within which official records must generally be released will be compressed from 30 years to 20.