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Voting Systems

Volume 302: debated on Monday 1 December 1997

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To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Independent Commission on the Voting System. [18561]

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has today appointed Lord Jenkins of Hillhead to be the Chairman of the Independent Commission on the Voting System. The other members will be Lord Alexander of Weedon, Lady Gould of Potternewton, Sir John Chilcot and Mr. David Lipsey.The Commission's terms of reference will be:

"The Commission shall be free to consider and recommend any appropriate system or combination of systems in recommending an alternative to the present system for Parliamentary elections to be put before the people in the Government's referendum.
The Commission shall observe the requirement for broad proportionality, the need for stable government, an extension of voter choice and the maintenance of a link between hon. Members and geographical constituencies".

Wholetime men as of 31 March 1997

White

Rank

CFO

ACO

DACO

SDO

DO I

DO II

DC III

ADO

STN O

SUB O

LDG FF

FF

Avon120060918545878411
Bedfordshire11104048253142181
Berkshire130036210265463245
Buckinghamshire120205010193844177
Cambridgeshire12010609232842140
Cheshire120131917476086389
Cleveland120405412465997392
Cornwall11003041215322288

The Commission will begin its work early in the new year and has been asked to report within twelve months.