Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Gethins Excerpts

Thursday 22nd May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Gethins (Arbroath and Broughty Ferry) (SNP)]

The commission’s approach to managing its work programme supports it with accommodating work arising from the “English Devolution” White Paper while still delivering periodic electoral reviews. The committee has agreed to some additional resourcing for the commission for this financial year. That will help to respond swiftly and effectively to any request for assistance in relation to the development of electoral and boundary arrangements for newly established unitary authorities.

[Blake Stephenson]

I declare an interest: I am a Central Bedfordshire councillor.

It is important that the boundary commission delivers electoral arrangements that provide strong local representation throughout English devolution. Will the hon. Member assure the House that resources available to the commission with be sufficient to ensure that representation is not sacrificed on the basis of arbitrary timelines for devolution?

[Stephen Gethins]

The hon. Member raises a good point and has some good inside information. Some £500,000 has been allocated, but the committee will keep that under periodic review in co-operation with the commission.

[Dame Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)]

It is right that we have properly resourced boundary commissions, but we have more than one in England: the Boundary Commission for England and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Have there been conversations at the Electoral Commission or elsewhere about amalgamating those two commissions or pooling resources in order to save taxpayer money?

[Stephen Gethins]

I am not aware of such conversations at the moment, but I will raise that with the commission on her behalf.

The hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—