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
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White
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Rank
| CFO
| ACO
| DACO
| SDO
| DO I
| DO II
| DC III
| ADO
| STN O
| SUB O
| LDG FF
| FF
|
| Avon | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 54 | 58 | 78 | 411 |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 25 | 31 | 42 | 181 |
| Berkshire | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 26 | 54 | 63 | 245 |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 38 | 44 | 177 |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 23 | 28 | 42 | 140 |
| Cheshire | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 47 | 60 | 86 | 389 |
| Cleveland | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 46 | 59 | 97 | 392 |
| Cornwall | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 15 | 32 | 22 | 88 |
The Commission will begin its work early in the new year and has been asked to report within twelve months.