Debate on bill on Tuesday, 14 July 2020, in the House of Commons, led by Chloe Smith. The answering member was Cat Smith.

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Report stage. New clause 1 (Electorate per constituency), discussed with new clause 2 (Allocation of constituencies), new clause 3(Definition of “electorate”), and an amendment, negatived on division (246 votes to 342). New clause 2 negatived on division (50 votes to 339). Amendment negatived on division (237 votes to 339). Third reading. Agreed to on question. Bill passed.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 678 cc1418-1484
Session: 2019-21
Department: Cabinet Office
Legislative stage: Third reading; Report stage
Procedure: New clauses
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Related items: Parliamentary Constituencies Bill 2019-21. As amended in Committee.
Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Bills
House of Commons
Proceeding contributions: Cat Smith | 678 c1419 (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.; Nigel Evans | 678 c1419 (Link to this contribution)
With this it will be convenient to consider the following:
New clause 2—Allocation of const...; Cat Smith | 678 cc1419-1421 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to speak again on the Bill, as it gives me the opportunity to put on the record ...; Andrew Bowie | 678 c1421 (Link to this contribution)
I have been listening intently to what the hon. Lady has been saying, and at the very beginning o...; Cat Smith | 678 c1421 (Link to this contribution)
Quite the opposite: I am arguing that under the status quo the only blockage to the passing of a ...; Lord Spellar | 678 c1421 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is getting to the nub of the issue. The reason why the Government failed to put th...; Cat Smith | 678 c1421 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend made some thoughtful and interesting contributions in Committee and continue...; Maria Miller | 678 c1422 (Link to this contribution)
I apologise for interrupting the shadow Minister’s train of thought, but she keeps repeating this...; Cat Smith | 678 c1422 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Lady for her intervention, but I am afraid that I quite simply disagree. T...; Chris Elmore | 678 c1422 (Link to this contribution)
A further point about the need for this 7.5% is that it would particularly help seats in Wales, w...; Cat Smith | 678 c1423 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend makes a very good point about the particular geography in the Welsh valleys where ...; Andrew Rosindell | 678 c1423 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Lady talks about keeping communities together and about breaking up wards. Why does it m...; Cat Smith | 678 c1423 (Link to this contribution)
I would argue that the wards, which are obviously drawn by the Local Government Boundary Commissi...; Mike Wood | 678 c1423 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Lady raises the case of Port Talbot in a previous review. Does she not accept that this ...; Cat Smith | 678 cc1423-4 (Link to this contribution)
I think in the case of Port Talbot it was the 5% quota that meant that that decision had to be re...; Lloyd Russell-Moyle | 678 c1424 (Link to this contribution)
We have heard from the other side a suggestion that we should use polling districts as the buildi...; Cat Smith | 678 cc1424-5 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend makes an important point about the legal standing of polling districts. Wards that...; Alun Cairns | 678 cc1425-6 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute in this debate and to s...; Mark Tami | 678 c1426 (Link to this contribution)
Could the right hon. Member tell the House whether he argued this case in the past and voted that...; Alun Cairns | 678 cc1426-7 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful for the right hon. Member’s intervention. I looked through Hansard to see what the ...; David Linden | 678 cc1427-9 (Link to this contribution)
It is a great pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Alun Cairns). I hav...; Gareth Johnson | 678 c1428 (Link to this contribution)
Does the hon. Gentleman accept that the primary purpose of this legislation is to ensure that vot...; David Linden | 678 c1428 (Link to this contribution)
I would make two points on that. First, the primary purpose of this Bill is, I suspect, to revers...; 678 c1428 (Link to this contribution); Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1428 (Link to this contribution)
Order. I am sure colleagues can see that there is a lot of time pressure in this debate. I urge M...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1430 (Link to this contribution)
First, I thank the Minister and her team for their hard work on this Bill. There are a select few...; David Linden | 678 c1430 (Link to this contribution)
This is an argument I considered perhaps in response to the hon. Member for Dartford (Gareth John...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1431 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman makes an eloquent point, but I disagree with him fundamentally. At the end of ...; James Grundy | 678 c1431 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend agree that the solution Labour proposes in new clause 1 is somewhat crude and...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1431 (Link to this contribution)
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention, which is, as always, well-considered and eloquent. I...; Andrew Rosindell | 678 c1431 (Link to this contribution)
I totally agree with what my hon. Friend is saying. The absurdity of entire wards making constitu...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1432 (Link to this contribution)
Certainly, in some of the larger metropolitan boroughs, there is what I call the martini paradox,...; Emma Hardy | 678 c1432 (Link to this contribution)
I am listening to the hon. Gentleman’s speech with great interest. I wonder if he agrees with me,...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1432 (Link to this contribution)
If the hon. Lady will bear with me, I will come to that point when I address new clause 3.
...; David Linden | 678 c1432 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman knows that I have a lot of time for him, but he will recognise that the rule i...; Chris Clarkson | 678 cc1432-3 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman knows that I have a lot of time for him, too. I am not here to blindly say tha...; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1433 (Link to this contribution)
Order.; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1433 (Link to this contribution)
Shall I wind up, Madam Deputy Speaker?; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1433 (Link to this contribution)
Yes.; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1433 (Link to this contribution)
Okay. Somebody else can deal with automaticity.; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1433 (Link to this contribution)
We are not really doing very well so far, are we? We will have another go at trying to stick to s...; Lord Spellar | 678 cc1433-4 (Link to this contribution)
I shall certainly try, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Can we be frank? Boundary changes are a real n...; Mike Wood | 678 c1434 (Link to this contribution)
The right hon. Member will remember that the Halesowen and Selly Oak constituency was dropped by ...; Lord Spellar | 678 c1434 (Link to this contribution)
Why did it come up with that in the first place when it was clearly such a dumb proposal? Parliam...; Gareth Johnson | 678 cc1434-5 (Link to this contribution)
I was actually enjoying the speech from the right hon. Member for Warley (John Spellar), and I ag...; Emma Hardy | 678 c1435 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way. Since his hon. Friend the Member for Heywood and Middl...; Gareth Johnson | 678 c1435 (Link to this contribution)
People have the option, if they want, to register to vote. That was made a very easy process by t...; Lord Spellar | 678 cc1435-6 (Link to this contribution)
I am glad that the hon. Gentleman read the Committee reports, but I am not sure he read my commen...; Gareth Johnson | 678 c1436 (Link to this contribution)
I did read the right hon. Gentleman’s quote, and I have looked into exactly what that was. It was...; Jamie Stone | 678 c1436 (Link to this contribution)
Madam Deputy Speaker, I do apologise for attending the Chamber late—it takes me a little time to ...; Gareth Johnson | 678 c1436 (Link to this contribution)
This is perhaps one of the arguments behind keeping to 650 so the actual sizes of constituencies ...; Wendy Chamberlain | 678 cc1436-8 (Link to this contribution)
I shall speak to new clause 3, tabled in my name and those of my other Liberal Democrat colleague...; Andrew Bowie | 678 cc1438-9 (Link to this contribution)
It will not surprise anybody that I rise in support of the Bill. The current boundaries of the pa...; Lord Spellar | 678 c1439 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?; Andrew Bowie | 678 c1439 (Link to this contribution)
I will give way, but I am conscious of the time.; Lord Spellar | 678 c1439 (Link to this contribution)
Is he saying that Parliament has been ridiculous for almost the whole of its existence? What was ...; Andrew Bowie | 678 c1439 (Link to this contribution)
I would never suggest that anybody who was in Parliament for all those years was in any way actin...; David Linden | 678 c1439 (Link to this contribution)
Part of the point that the hon. Gentleman is missing is that it is not just Members of Parliament...; Andrew Bowie | 678 c1440 (Link to this contribution)
I am fully aware of that; I was speaking about the entirety of Parliament. I am going to get back...; James Grundy | 678 c1440 (Link to this contribution)
Will my hon. Friend give way?; Andrew Bowie | 678 c1440 (Link to this contribution)
I will not because of the time.
I am fully aware that SNP Members do not view us as one nat...; Clive Efford | 678 cc1440-1 (Link to this contribution)
Everyone on the Opposition Benches accepts that this parliamentary boundary review is overdue. I ...; Andrew Rosindell | 678 c1441 (Link to this contribution)
I agree with much of what the hon. Gentleman is saying, but does he agree that sometimes a ward i...; Clive Efford | 678 cc1441-2 (Link to this contribution)
I agree, provided it is within a recognisable local government area and a recognisable community,...; Alun Cairns | 678 c1442 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?; Clive Efford | 678 c1442 (Link to this contribution)
No, because I heard Madam Deputy Speaker cough, which is telling me, “Efford, shut up.” I will co...; Cherilyn Mackrory | 678 c1442 (Link to this contribution)
This Bill is all about creating fair and proper representation in this House for everyone in the ...; Lord Spellar | 678 cc1442-3 (Link to this contribution)
Can the hon. Lady see the logical inconsistency? Had the provisions of the Bill about automaticit...; Cherilyn Mackrory | 678 c1443 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his intervention, but on this review, the mathematics mean t...; Lloyd Russell-Moyle | 678 c1443 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Lady give way?; Clive Efford | 678 c1443 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Lady give way?; Cherilyn Mackrory | 678 c1443 (Link to this contribution)
I will press on, because we need to get other hon. Members this afternoon.
Constituency bou...; Ben Lake | 678 cc1443-4 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to participate in this debate, and a particular pleasure to follow the hon. Memb...; Lloyd Russell-Moyle | 678 c1444 (Link to this contribution)
I am a fan of the Kingdom of Sussex and I still sing “Sussex by the Sea” on our national day, but...; Ben Lake | 678 c1444 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Member makes a good point in terms of the fact that the protections are temporary, in so...; Cherilyn Mackrory | 678 c1444 (Link to this contribution)
I would like to take this argument when we have further devolution calls; at that point, because ...; Ben Lake | 678 cc1444-5 (Link to this contribution)
That is a very good point well made.
To return to more familiar ground—Wales—let me say in ...; Alun Cairns | 678 c1445 (Link to this contribution)
Does the hon. Gentleman accept that, for a cohesive society to sustain itself, equal representati...; Ben Lake | 678 c1445 (Link to this contribution)
I completely acknowledge and note the right hon. Gentleman’s arguments, but we fundamentally disa...; Maria Miller | 678 c1445 (Link to this contribution)
It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Ben Lake). I am pleased to hear ...; Lord Spellar | 678 c1445 (Link to this contribution)
Will the right hon. Lady give way?; Maria Miller | 678 c1445 (Link to this contribution)
The right hon. Gentleman has had quite a lot of giving way. I am not giving way.; Lord Spellar | 678 c1445 (Link to this contribution)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The right hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mrs Miller) att...; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1446 (Link to this contribution)
It is up to the right hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mrs Miller) whether she wants to give way.
...; Maria Miller | 678 c1446 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I actually wrote it down—perhaps the right hon. Gentleman needs ...; Lord Spellar | 678 c1446 (Link to this contribution)
You got it wrong! I said “a necessary”, not “unnecessary”.; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1446 (Link to this contribution)
Order. The right hon. Gentleman has put his views on the record, but he really must not interrupt...; Maria Miller | 678 cc1446-7 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
The Bill is all about the quality of our democracy and abo...; Virginia Crosbie | 678 cc1447-8 (Link to this contribution)
I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mrs Miller) for tabling amendment 14, wh...; James Grundy | 678 c1448 (Link to this contribution)
I am delighted that my hon. Friend has secured statutory protection for her constituency, alongsi...; Virginia Crosbie | 678 c1448 (Link to this contribution)
I thank my hon. Friend for his interruption—[Interruption.] Sorry—his intervention. I am a bit of...; Eddie Hughes | 678 c1448 (Link to this contribution)
Either works!; Virginia Crosbie | 678 c1448 (Link to this contribution)
Either works. I am delighted that my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (James Grundy) is present t...; Gavin Robinson | 678 cc1448-1450 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie). I congratulate her on...; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1450 (Link to this contribution)
Things have perked up enormously on the time front. However, from now on, if Members could stick ...; Shaun Bailey | 678 cc1450-1 (Link to this contribution)
Before I begin, on Black Country Day, I want to pay tribute to the Black Country chartists and su...; Mike Wood | 678 cc1451-2 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and a very happy Black Country Day to you today. As a proud Blac...; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1453 (Link to this contribution)
Order. I call Emma Hardy.; Emma Hardy | 678 cc1453-4 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I have found the debate a little confusing, because the argument...; Aaron Bell | 678 cc1454-5 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle (Emma Hardy). I...; Jonathan Gullis | 678 c1455 (Link to this contribution)
If my hon. Friend is looking for more of the Newcastle-under-Lyme borough, could he please leave ...; Aaron Bell | 678 cc1455-6 (Link to this contribution)
The point of my hon. Friend and neighbour is well made.
I would also like to say how much d...; Lloyd Russell-Moyle | 678 c1456 (Link to this contribution)
When I went to the Table Office a few weeks ago to pick up this Bill I picked up the wrong one, a...; Richard Holden | 678 c1456 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?; Lloyd Russell-Moyle | 678 c1457 (Link to this contribution)
No, I am afraid that time is very tight.
The predecessor Committee to mine suggested 10%, w...; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | 678 c1457 (Link to this contribution)
I call Alex Davies-Jones.; Alex Davies-Jones | 678 cc1457-8 (Link to this contribution)
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this very important Bill; I w...; Richard Holden | 678 cc1458-9 (Link to this contribution)
I rise to speak to new clauses 1 and 3. New clause 1 is perhaps the biggest piece of contention o...; Rachel Hopkins | 678 cc1459-1460 (Link to this contribution)
I speak in this debate with previous experience of the process of making electoral boundaries. As...; Jonathan Gullis | 678 cc1460-1 (Link to this contribution)
New clause 1 is in my opinion about stopping equalisation, because through this Bill we are going...; Jim Shannon | 678 cc1461-3 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Jonathan Gullis). He and I h...; Chloe Smith | 678 cc1463-4 (Link to this contribution)
And what a pleasure it is, as always, to follow the remarks of the sage of Strangford, the hon. M...; Emma Hardy | 678 c1464 (Link to this contribution)
I am listening carefully to the Minister’s observations about the need to have equal constituenci...; Chloe Smith | 678 cc1464-5 (Link to this contribution)
I admire the tenacity with which the hon. Lady has made that argument today. It is not the subjec...; Alun Cairns | 678 c1465 (Link to this contribution)
Does the Minister recognise that new clause 2, tabled by Plaid Cymru and the SNP, almost suggests...; Chloe Smith | 678 cc1465-7 (Link to this contribution)
I agree with my right hon. Friend. He knows that the Conservative party and the Government are ab...; Cat Smith | 678 c1467 (Link to this contribution)
I did not think it was possible to have as much fun as we had in Committee, but this afternoon ha...; Chloe Smith | 678 cc1480-1 (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time.
I thank all Members who have contr...; Cat Smith | 678 cc1481-2 (Link to this contribution)
I will keep my comments brief, as I covered the Labour party’s stance in my speech on Report. I p...; Maria Miller | 678 c1482 (Link to this contribution)
The Bill is all about creating fairness and making sure that every vote counts the same, and I wi...; David Linden | 678 c1482 (Link to this contribution)
I echo the comments made by my colleagues on the Front-Bench about our thanks to those who presid...; Baroness Laing of Elderslie | 678 c1482 (Link to this contribution)
I call Gavin Robinson.; Gavin Robinson | 678 c1482 (Link to this contribution)
My name was withdrawn at a quarter past 11 this morning.; Baroness Laing of Elderslie | 678 cc1482-3 (Link to this contribution)
Oh, my goodness. I have no Member for North East Fife and although the hon. Member for Strangford...; Chloe Smith | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
Well, Madam Deputy Speaker, let us consider the glory of the United Kingdom. Let us start, alphab...; Maria Miller | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
Does the Minister not agree that the debate has given everybody the opportunity to talk about the...; Chloe Smith | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
I absolutely agree on that, and it allows me to do something rarely allowed to a Minister in such...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Chloe Smith | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
Not until I have managed to name all the parishes and towns in Norwich North, which are, of cours...; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
They sound like lovely parishes. I could also mention Norden, Bamford, Castleton, Heywood and Mid...; Jim Shannon | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
Don’t go away.; Chris Clarkson | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
I will not.; Chloe Smith | 678 c1483 (Link to this contribution)
May I close this unusual contribution to the end of a Bill’s proceedings by also noting how wonde...; Baroness Laing of Elderslie | 678 c1484 (Link to this contribution)
I believe York Outer is the last one. Let me now put the Question.
Question put and agreed ...; Baroness Laing of Elderslie | 678 c1484 (Link to this contribution)
I will not suspend the House, because I trust that hon. Members will leave quietly in the right d...
Subjects: Boundary commissions Constituency size Constituencies Cornwall Equality Electoral register Local government Northern Ireland Parliamentary scrutiny Scotland Wales House of Commons composition Ynys Môn Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Legislation: Parliamentary Constituencies Bill 2019-21
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Secondary information

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